Our monthly chart compiled from th

e Blood,
Sweat & Fears of our staff.
1. Ugly – Fishbone (SonyBMG)
2. Phantom Pt. II – Justice (Ed Banger)
3. Lost Your Mind – Aceyalone (Decon Inc.)
4. Club Thing-Yoav (UMG)
ABORT™ Magazine 5. It’s Like That –Redman (Def Jam/UMG)
Canada’s Counter Staff Photographers General Info:
6. After The Flesh – MLWTTKK (Rykodisc)
Culture Sarah Hamilton, Chris Webber, info@abortmag.com
Jordana Meilleur, Grimm Culhane,
Jordana Hovis, Paul Michalowski.
www.abortmag.com
www.abortmagazine.com
Tales From The Eastside™ contains
pictures of people who have given
7. Fire Down Under - Riot (Metalblade/KOCH)
Issue 6 www.abort.tv consent and/or been compensated 8. Folsom Prison Blues - Everlast (Martyr Inc.)
Stuff - Dyke & The Blazers (Collectables)
Web Design/Graphics by ABORT™ Magazine, AbortCast™,
John Allan –www.johnallan.ca DEPARTMENTS ABORT TV ™ and AMP Corp for use of 9.
Precious - The Pretenders (Chrysalis/UMG)
Publisher/Editor-in-Chief
10.
Advertising their likeness and comments
E.S. Day Contributors: sales@abortmag.com
Mike Gilbert, FINK, Emmylou Benson, The views expressed in this publica-
Senior Editor Justin K. Hughes, PaperMonster, Marketing/Promotions tion are those of the authors and do

ABORT’S latest list of interview requests, and

Grimm Culhane Kyle M. Close, , Kevin Daley, Ben Carlin, promotions@abortmag.com not necessarily reflect those of
Darryl Whetung, Mark Boucher, Denis ABORT Media Publishing Corporation

the people who told us to go fuck ourselves

Hip-Hop Editor Maile , Ajani Charles, Kalmplex Seen, Employment Opportunities (AMP Corp.)
Dave “Corvid” McCallum Dave Nelson, Jeffrey Chan Tin jobs@abortmag.com
ISSN 1918-0594
Art Director/Layout Intern ABORT TV:

M.I.A.
Christina Thiele/Rheanna Fancypants Alexandria Lee www.abort.tv ABORT Magazine is
info@abort.tv A Canadian Publication
Photo Editors Cover Artwork By Mike Gilbert
E.S. Day/Grimm Culhane/Sarah mike@abortmag.com Subscriptions/E-Newsletter Copyright © 2004-2008 ABORT Maga-
Hamilton subscribe@abortmag.com zine. All Rights Reserved. Reproduc- Sassy, crassy, M.I.A., goes M.I.A on us not once, not twice … but thrice times!, including us flying to Montreal to
Cover Design and Concept (we DO NOT give out your e-mail tion of this publication, in whole or in
Review Editor Mike Gilbert and E.S. Day address) part, in any form or medium without
do the second interview, she recently announced her last live performance onstage, to an unsuspecting audience
Grimm Culhane CD’s, DVD’s, Books, Art, Murals, Cash, express written permission from Abort and has now fucked up our chances for any form of an interview... But we still love her.
Drugs, Garter Belts, Guns, Fur Coats, Media Publishing Corporation (AMP `
Staff Writers

Grimm Culhane, E.S. Day, Dave
“Corvid” McCallum, Amalia Nickel,
Jimmy Lynch (Toronto), William
“Moose” Roberts, Derrick Beckles
(New York), Calder Fertig (Calgary),
.ninjoelspy., Alxs Ness, Russ Foxx
Senior Photographer
Sarah Hamilton
Iron Maiden
ABORT MAGAZINE Trans-fatty foods and Cigarettes to be Corp.) is prohibited. All use is subject
is owned and operated by: considered for review… to our Terms of Use.
Abort Media Publishing Corporation editor@abortmag.com
(AMP Corp.)
1140 Comox St. Ste 203 To submit words, art, video and filth:
Vancouver, BC submissions@abortmag.com After our Editor had already had Tea & Scones with the“Bruce-ster”, it seems label and management
Canada, V6E 1K5 thought it be best that they leave out the “little” publications to make way for the big bulky dailies who
778.330.7575
Fuck The Fax
have no interest in the gracefully aging metal mongers. We even offered 4 pairs of socks and one
cucumber to help Bruce keep his “stage package” in check. Where the fuck is Eddie when you need him?

Photo - By Armene (Voronezh, Russia) 3

21 & Grimm: We have a pretty good-sized
under
Chinatown which is like two blocks
away from that area we are talking
about right now.
Kyle: So, its a kind of gnarly scene?
with ...
Grimm: It’s an extremely gnarly scene,
very sad actually. It’s tragic to see the
sort of human waste of potential that’s
going on there. Anyway … Witch, let’s
talk about Witch. I was just listening to
by Grimm Culhane your new album “Paralyzed” and I was remembering back to when I first
Grimm Culhane: Hi Kyle, this is Grimm Culhane from ABORT Magazine. (for SXSW) got your first album. I loved it. It doesn’t sound too derivative or similar
How are you doing? Kyle: Yeah things are starting to get going again. We took kind of a to anyone else. Now you’re the song writer, is that correct?
Kyle Thomas: Pretty good, how are you? long hiatus. Well… not really a hiatus, but we just didn’t play for like a Kyle: Me and Ace, the other guitar player.
Grimm: I’m excellent. You sound like you’re just across the street year, so its nice to be playing again.
(laughs) Grimm: How long has Witch been together?
Kyle: I am.... Grimm: Were you busy in the studio at that time? Kyle: Let’s see... I think our first album came out in 2006. So, probably
Grimm: (Laughs) Sounds like. Kyle: No, not really. I actually didn’t know if we were going to be play- like 3 years.
Kyle: Umm... well I’m in Vermont. ing or not. It was kind of just like... we were having trouble finding
somebody who wanted to play live, like second guitar live, because Grimm: How did you get involved?
Grimm: Oh cool. We are in Vancouver, B.C., Canada. Ace our other guitar player doesn’t really like going on tour or Kyle: Well Dave (Sweetapple), the bass player, and Jay (Mascis) were
Kyle: Awesome. I was just hanging out with those Black anything. We had some trouble with that. We started recording again friends and they had just been joking about starting a band. So I had
Mountain dudes. in the fall though, but once we started recording we weren’t in the known Dave for a long time and I was just kind of a kid from town. He
studio for very long. We played for some kind of weird party for this was just like, “you want to start a band?” I mean I had another band,
Grimm: Were you really? website called “The Virtual Lower Eastside.” Heard of it? “Feather,” which is pretty much the opposite of what Witch is, so I
Kyle: Yeah, we played a show with them. jumped at the chance to do something different.
Grimm: With Steve McBean and them? Oh that’s right, I saw a poster Grimm: The Virtual Lower Eastside, no.
for that show on your website. Kyle: Yeah, its a virtual replica of the lower eastside of New York City. Grimm: Would you call yourselves a “psychedelic” band?
Kyle: Yeah, they were awesome. You can like walk around and go to shows with your little video gig Kyle: I mean that’s such a broad term. You can really call a lot of things
character. that. A lot of stuff gets called psychedelic these days which I don’t think
Grimm: Probably one of the better Vancouver bands right now. Grimm: The Eastside of Vancouver is … I don’t know if you’re familiar is psychedelic. There are aspects of that to it, like the solos and stuff are
Kyle: Yeah, I hadn’t really heard of them before that, but it was really with that area, it’s got some press from Dan Rather recently because fairly psychedelic.
good. it’s where all the junkies and dealers hang out. Grimm: Absolutely, the fuzz.
Kyle: In Vancouver? Kyle: I would say it’s more psychedelic then it is straight.
Grimm: Good to hear. How are things with Witch? Grimm: That’s right.
Kyle: They’re great. Grimm: And would you say you’re metal in any regard?
Grimm: You guys are heading to Austin pretty quick, I understand? Kyle: I hear you guys have a pretty big Chinatown? Kyle: I mean there’s definitely a lot of metal influence, there’s also punk
influence. I usually just say we are a rock band. It’s usually the easiest
way out, maybe kind of boring, but whatever.
Grimm: All encompassing.
Kyle: Yeah.
www.myspace.com/witchofficial
Grimm: Now with “Paralyzed” it seems to me that you’ve taken ev-
erything from your first album and blew it up. Everything is faster, it’s
fuller, it’s still got that Witch sound, but it seems like everything’s been
pumped up.
Kyle: I think that a few of the songs are a lot faster then they were
written. I just really wanted to take it a step further and in a different
direction. This album has a lot more variety to it were as the first album
had kind of the same kind of tone to it the whole way. This one is all
over the place really.
Grimm: Yes it is... you go from songs like “Gone” which is heavy and
fast. Then you’ve got “Sweet Sue,” which is more laid back… and then
“Psychotic Rock.” Now, I’ve been listening to that song and I have to tell
you, its reminds me of Alice Donut.
Kyle: Awesome. I’ve never really listen to Alice Donut, but I have always
thought they sounded like a cool band.
Grimm: They are excellent. You and Tom (Antona) sound almost
identical for some reason, on “Psychotic Rock” especially. I keep
thinking every time it comes on that my iPod has gone to shuffle and
that I’m listening to an Alice Donut song.
Kyle: That’s awesome. Yeah that’s probably one of my favourite songs
on the album.
Grimm: You’ve got South by Southwest coming up in the next couple
of weeks. Then it looks like your hitting the road after that.
Kyle: Yeah we are doing a couple of shows after that with Graveyard,
from Sweden. Just like shows out here in New York then Western
Massachusetts. And then we are going to go to Europe for three weeks.
Yeah, we haven’t done much touring so it’s going to be good to get out
there.
Grimm: It’s the place to be. When are you going to get to Canada?
Kyle: In my dreams (laughs).
Grimm: In your dreams, oh come on...
Kyle: You know Dave is from Newfoundland. We always talk about
wanting to play out there. I love Canada, and I’ve never been to
Vancouver either.
Grimm: Could it have something to do with the border? Have you ever
had problems getting over the boarder?
Kyle: No, surprisingly. When we did “Feathers” tours up there, we had a
van full of eight really weird looking people and a bunch of weird shit
in the van. We didn’t have any problems, ever.
Grimm: Marijuana: menace or marvel?
Kyle: To me? Personally? Umm, I think it’s a marvelous menace.
Grimm: A marvelous menace, good answer.
Kyle: I’ve had my days of smoking tons of weed, but I haven’t really
been doing it much recently. It kinda makes me crazy. I imagine once I
get over to Amsterdam it’s gonna be pretty hard to avoid.
Grimm: Yes indeed, it certainly will. I tell you, there’s nothing in the
world like smoking a joint inside a McDonalds.
Kyle: (Laughs) Just has to be done I guess.
Grimm: (Laughs) Yeah, it’s trippy man, you really go through the fries
after that.
Kyle: (Laughs) Yeah.
Grimm: What else do you do?
Kyle: I do a lot of art, artwork. I do a lot of painting, I do album covers
and t-shirt designs sometimes. I do all kinds of stuff.
Grimm: And your day job?
Kyle: It’s pretty much that (laughs).
Grimm: (Laughs) Excellent, good to hear.
Kyle: You know, I live in my parents’ house, I rent an art studio
and just kinda hang out. I sell records on eBay sometimes
too.
Grimm: I see, diverse, a man of many talents.
Kyle: Pretty deep. (laughs)
Grimm: (Laughs) Well I certainly appreciate you taking the
time to chat today Kyle.
Kyle: Yeah, it was fun.
Grimm: So we’ll watch for you in Vancouver soon?
Kyle: Yeah, I hope so.
5
 to the point:
LOUD Records CEO Steve Rifkind
O
n the brink of brand name destruction, LOUD/SRC With the Wu-Tang Clan release - 8 Diagrams, his new line of
Founder and CEO Steve Rifkind has found a way to energy drinks and his infamous guerrilla street marketing
dodge the haters, embrace the critics and bounce tactics, Steve Rifkind will prevail and maybe help other
back with a rejuvenated (not that he needed it) corporate industry cats lead instead of follow.
umbrella that keeps his world dry from a rainstorm of medi-
ocrity that overshadows today’s music industry.

“These records are making me thirsty” Steve Rifkind: Caffeine and a lot of Vitamin E.S. Day: What I meant is that you’re not gonna
B. go into HMV, buy the new Wu-Tang, and get a
E.S. Day: We’re just going to jump into the free can of Loud Energy Drink. It’s not going to
Loud Beverages thing. With Loud Beverages, E.S. Day: Is this product ever going to come to go to that extent, is it?
is it safe to say that an energy drink targeted Canada, and if not, why? Steve Rifkind: Honestly, I wish it would!
at the hip-hop culture is merely just a safer Steve Rifkind: I think it is coming into Canada. [laughs]
alternative to alcohol, and does that cut the Right now we’re in negotiations with a dis- loudbev.com
competition factor in half? tributor. Plus Ron Urban is who we’re talking loud.com
Steve Rifkind: I don’t know if it cuts the to right now.
competition in half. I mean, there’s still a lot E.S. Day: How’s music going to play a role in By E.S. Day
of competition out there It’s almost a health the marketing of this?
drink. I have what’s called a chronic migraine. Steve Rifkind: Everything that we do is always
You don’t get a lot of oxygen in the brain driven by music.
and you just get incredible headaches. Some- E.S. Day: Right, and so it should be.
body said that you should try to drink as much Steve Rifkind: We sell it in record stores,
caffeine as possible, so I took some Advil with and it’s going to be music driven. We have
it and to make a long story short, this Loud marketing plans for the world-wide market,
Energy Drink got rid of my headaches. and I promise you this: music will be a key
I’m not a doctor, I’m not a scientist, but I’m ingredient.
trying to figure out what we can do now with
a pharmaceutical
company with this
drink.
E.S. Day: On that
note, what are we
looking at ingre-
dients wise? I’m
assuming caffeine
plays a major role!
[laughs]
Steve Rifkind: It defi-
nitely plays a role,
but unfortunately
I don’t have the
ingredients on me.
E.S. Day: No, but I
was assuming the
major player in the
drink was caffeine,
am I wrong?

6
21 and under with ...
E.S. Day: Yeah okay. We haven’t heard anything yet. We are dying to hear it, can’t wait to get a copy and get that going.
Everlast: Yeah, we are getting it out this week hopefully.

E.S. Day: A quick break down for our listeners, viewers and readers for your connection with La Coka Nostra, and are you going to be doing a lot
more with that once you tour and work this album? Oh and speaking of that any tour(s) coming up for the new album?
E.S. Day: I’ll try and make this quick. First of all, how are you doing? Everlast: Dates yet, no, we are just finished the record.
Everlast: I’m doing well.
E.S. Day: Okay, fair enough. But yeah La Coka Nostra is that going to be a permanent side thing for you?
E.S. Day: Good, good. Getting ready for the new album coming out, is there a tentative date for this yet? Everlast: Yeah I mean, me and they guys...I mean that’s kind of like... for years people have been asking me like “what’s up with House of Pain?”
Everlast: September 23rd, I believe. And you know I’ve just never been the type to go backwards.

E.S. Day: September 23rd. Love, War and the Ghost of Whitey Ford, Correct?
Everlast: Yeah.
E.S. Day: Okay. I’m going to ask some typical questions, the first of which first being: The Ghost of Whitey Ford, did Whitey Ford Die? What’s
going on here and is this a new incarnation of Everlast again? or what are we going to expect this time round?
Everlast: Um, the sound is pretty different. I used a lot of different instrumentation. As far as the Ghost of Whitey Ford it’s just kind of like, I like
playing with people.
E.S. Day: Of course not, that’s why I haven’t really been asking about House of Pain, I was more asking about the La Coka Nostra thing.
Everlast: Exactly, the way that came about was, Danny Boy, my old partner, had put that together with Ill Bill.
E.S. Day: Yeah all that, wicked.
Everlast: And like, when I came on-board it was like natural, and it is all the guys from House of Pain—and we are having a blast. It gives me an
outlet to just do that straight hardcore Hip-Hops tuff that doesn’t always fit in with the album.
E.S. Day: Sure okay.
Everlast: But yeah I plan on being apart of it for awhile.

E.S. Day: Good and so you should (ha-ha). There’s nothing wrong with that. When you say more instrumentation, are we talking about literally
more instruments? I mean are you going to bring more beats back, is what I’m asking.
Everlast: Well, there’s beats on the record, but it’s not exactly a Hip-Hop album. But yeah, everything I feel has to have some kind of beat under it.
E.S. Day: Of course.
Everlast: Mostly live drumming. A lot of different keyboards. I didn’t rely so heavily on the acoustic sound.
E.S. Day: Yeah, I was going to kind of ask, have you strayed away a bit from that or is that still your vibe. I mean, as opposed to giving people
what they expect. Give them something that’s coming from your inside as opposed to trying to please a record label, let’s say.
Everlast: The good news is I already started my own label.
E.S. Day: That’s true, it’s Martyr Inc, that’s correct?
Everlast: Yes, yes. As far as like why I would not use the acoustic
sounds as much. I just felt like I did my last three records with a heavy
acoustic sound.
E.S. Day: Cool, alright. guest appearances on this album, musician-wise, not vocally?
Everlast: Yeah there are no vocal guests really. The only couple of musical guests are like I dunno if your familiar with Jimmy Kiltiner is. He’s
famous for (can’t hear) played with a lot of the beats. Then, Billy Gibbons, played...
E.S. Day: No way, from Z Z Top?
Everlast: Yeah, we are good friends.
E.S. Day: Get the fuck outta here... Oh my god, those guys are great, I met ZZ Top at the Zanzibar Tavern (Strip Club in Toronto) and they stole a
“Do Not Wear Harley Davidson Attire” sign, right off the wall. Walked right out with it. Great guys, really good guys. That’s incredible, how did that
come about? You just said you were friends right?
Everlast: Yeah, me and Billy are friends right. And I might be collaborating on his, he’s got a solo record coming out right now.
E.S. Day: Anyone else?
Everlast: No, not really. Just some local guys that are friends of mine. That have played with me over the years.

E.S. Day: True, fair enough. Your going to have to forgive me for a E.S. Day: Okay. Speaking of local, anybody we should be looking out for. Everlast recommendation up and coming unsigned,
couple of questions. I am forty years old and I grew up with the from your hometown. Anyone you want to show some love too?
original Everlast (ha-ha). So, I’m going to ask a few things. Everlast: I don’t know about my hometown.
First off, any old collabo’s coming up? on the side, and I mean old E.S. Day: Well not from your hometown, but from where you’re based now. You’re in L.A. right?
collabo’s like when you did that thing with, “ Rhyme Syndicate, with Everlast: I don’t know if they’re undiscovered or not , but I just recently just kind of go put on to a group called the “ Dead String
Ice-T? “ I mean, I still listen to that stuff believe it or not. Can we see Brother.” And they are out of Detroit. They are pretty wicked.
you going back in to the crates and pulling out some of the old stuff E.S. Day: Okay, interesting. And there’s Myspace for that right?
or maybe doing some collabo’s with some of the cats back in the day, Everlast: I believe so.
just for fun or touring wise?
Everlast: That’s all relative on who wants to do it. I mean, Ice gave E.S. Day: Okay enough about that. Getting back to the album (production wise). What are we looking at, was it mostly you?
my first break back in the day. If he asked me to do anything, I would Everlast: And my partner, Keith Ciancia playing keyboards with my band for quite a few years. We started co-writing some stuff
more likely do it. and I guess he’s had a reject with his wife for a few years and there was like this sound quality about it that I just loved. And I’m
thrilled with the outcome.
E.S. Day: How about for a couple of our... We feature a lot... We are
not entirely all music, but when it does come to music, we have a E.S. Day: Great. Do you think possibly the state of music today, everything that’s going on. There is a lot of ignorant people out
huge older reader and listenership. And a lot of them still really like there when it comes to trying to adapt to an artist, a Hip-hop artist, in their minds. Crossing over in to lock and vice-versa and
a lot of old hardcore Hip-hop and old Metal fused together. I dunno back and forth. Putting the two together. I mean, I thrive on that but for some reason I still get a lot of turned-up noses. Are you
whatever, “ Public Enemy/Anthrax, Onyx/Biohazard,” But when you finding you still run into that, when you have your ear to the streets, so to speak.
guys did all that shit... Butch Vig did a remix. When you were doing Everlast: Occasionally you know, you get that, But what I do musically... I’ve never been the dude that chased the money.
House of Pain of, “ Shamrocks and Shenanigans.” That was
fucking heavy as hell that blew people away. Would you be up to E.S. Day: No, you didn’t. You never pick and choose. You just do what you do. I noticed that and props to you for sure.
doing maybe a hardcore remixes off your current repertoire? Everlast: Don’t get me wrong, money’s money.
Everlast: Yeah, that would all just be on how good the remixes are.
E.S. Day: Of course right, you’ve got to eat.
E.S. Day: Exactly, yeah, yeah. You’d be open to that? Everlast: But yeah, when I make the records, I’m trying to please myself, impress myself and walk away from the project saying
Everlast: If they make the remixes, I don’t tell them what to do. I challenged myself.

E.S. Day: No. of course not. But I mean the fusion of heavy guitar on E.S. Day: That’s so great to hear. You don’t hear a lot of artists say that.
top of beats and stuff again. That wouldn’t be a thumbs down idea. E.S. Day: Thanks.
Everlast: No, it sounds good. Everlast: Thank you.

10 www.myspace.com/theofficialeverlast 11

Aceyalone:
BY AMALIA NICKEL | PHOTO BY CHRIS WEBBER
Aceyalone shrugs, and credits the use of binary
images in his lyrics to being a Libra. His sheepish
response seems odd given that his music has been
pushing the boundaries of hip-hop for nearly 2
decades – breaking convention doesn’t happen
by accident and it seems to me that his creative
process is divided between mind and man. The Mind
creates rhymes about burning the “vanity affair” that
is L.A. while the Man supports capitalism so long as
people aren’t dogmatic about it. He raps, “I do it all
for you” but when the issue of CD pirating is brought
up he gets irritated; “do you think I do this all for
you?” He has a water bottle filled with rum, a beer
stain on his lightning-bolt shirt from the night before
and some of the most transcendent rhymes to enter
the literary canon.
Breaking convention, pushing boundaries, embrac-
ing binaries: Aceyalone is a poet in the most
classical sense.
Formerly known as Eddie Hayes, Aceyalone was
instrumental in the creative and intellectual progres-
sion of hip-hop in the 90s. At a time when gangsta
rap was promoting controversy and gaining popu-
larity Ace One was spearheading the West Coast
freestyle and jazz movement with The Freestyle
Fellowship.
To this day the conscious underground follows
their lead in musical experimentation and intro-
spective poetry. Ace recalls being part of hip-hop’s
growth in those days, a time when “hip-hop was
a young form of music and was still maturing.”
He feels that he helped bring hip-hop through its
adolescent years by offering his artistic style and
bringing it closer to poetry. “The art form is not just
rhymes, not just technical. We challenged the tech-
niques, like rhyming in different time signatures, 6/8
or 5/7, different dynamic rhythms.”
He confronted the very essence of hip-hop,
stoking the fire to help it grow: without contraries,
there is no progression. According to Aceyalone, the
polarities of life already exist in the conscious and
subconscious minds of all people—he simply brings
14
a world according
to aceyalone
the themes to light through about, why box it in when all the world are
introspective lyricism. “We tools to use?” He finds subject matter in the
all have to deal,” he says, cool, the funny, and the serious: “death, life,
“to balance out both love politics, girlfriends, fun…” he writes what he
and hate, good and evil, sees and experiences.
high and low.” These are
his binaries, his way to “re- As introverted as he is, he does not like
flect a worldly balance.” to deconstruct his own creative process,
“the writing is the editing,” he claims, “it is
These days, the unrefined and instantaneous.” While he does
37-year-old rapper is not feel that his role is to make people com-
still pushing the genre’s fortable he rejects the negative lyricism that
limitations with a series of “does nothing for your soul, and contributes
musically-themed hip- to stunting our growth.” It’s not a matter of
hop albums. The first of being preachy but instead putting himself
several, “Lightning Strikes” into the lyrics as a way of “understand[ing]
offers layer upon layer of how people are…we’re all the same, all shal-
reggae styles pulled from low, we all have self-esteem issues.”
the archives of musical his-
tory. Aceyalone feels that Aceyalone likes to be admired. He has
“dancehall has a rhythmic little patience for critics and reacts sensi-
form not often applied to tively to negative responses to his music.
hip-hop” and he respects When challenged about some of the inevi-
it. But as a lyricist, the table misses of his long career, he becomes
beats are a backdrop to his defensive. Although he is not yet bored with
poetry and he can inter- the fans and the tours he sees two scenes
pret other musical genres happening: “the positive or neutral fans who
equally well. “Rhythms In pushing his own musical boundaries he also are there to enjoy the shows,” and “the crit-
belong to one source of nature from god,” he claims, He is, however, quite conscious of the meta- encourages others to not settle for comfort although ics,” which he spits out like a dirty word. His music
so he can also respectfully delve into classical, blues phorical ideas of taking flight and soaring to higher “it’s easier now to accept cookie cutter music… may push for change but the man himself enjoys the
or jazz. “Hip-hop takes samples … this just takes it heights which is another recurring pattern in his anyone can buy a cookie cutter and make a hundred comfort he condemns, the dichotomy of the artist is
a step further.” Through recovering “lost techniques” 17-year discography. He likes to explore the margins heart-shaped cookies.” Aceyalone places himself evident in the discrepancy between his music and
instead of simply using samples the art remains con- and reach outer limits, a risky human instinct. I in a greater artistic context where he is responsible his lifestyle.
nected to its original source, the tensions of life. reminded him of the classical Icarus myth, in which to give society “something that future generations
Powerful and socially conscious, few could live
Lightning is a symbolic representation of divine up to Aceyalone’s prophetic statements and the art-
imagination. It strikes from the heavens and manifests ist recognizes this discord: “We’re all works in prog-
itself through the artist in order to challenge the norms ress,” he admits. In writing lyrics Aceyalone channels
of thought and produce change. “Lightning Strikes” is what he calls his “higher self” and recognizes that
saturated with the imagery of natural tensions: “first the next step is to “live up to the lyrics” which is a
the thunder, then the lightning,” of “Shango,” or the difficult process. Perhaps this is where the man and
burning fires cast upon shallow lifestyles in “Jungle the mind come together. The experiences of the man
Muzik.” However, Ace claims that the light imagery in the curious hero soars too high and the sun causes can respect, can be proud of as wise and conscious and the mind’s imagination form a tension, which in
his lyrics is not a conscious attempt on his part; the his wax wings to melt and he falls from the sky. adults.” It seems that the key to tapping into human turn creates a flash of illuminated artistry. Lightning
very action of bringing his ideas to light organically When asked about the parallel Aceyalone reflects, “I emotion is to take influences from every aspect of strikes.
integrates the natural symbols of knowledge. haven’t soared that high yet.” life: “Anyone can find cool beats but you’ve got to
challenge yourself; there are infinite things to talk
15
 19
a r t i s t
TYRONE McCARTHY
rank and file
ABORTIST

18
20 21
22 23
24 25
Since graduating form OCAD, Tyrone has been busy with Illustration work and self publishing his comic
Corduroy High. His clients include:

Wall Street Journal Washington Times Owl Magazine The Canadian Sportsman Thomson/Nelson Today’s
Parent US Banker Golf Canada Draft Toronto Designer’s Collective Pearson Education Harbinger Com-
munications Inc. Response Innovations Revolver Film Company / The Partners’ Film Company BlackWalk
Productions Theatre by the Bay Game Developer Magazine Fuel Magazine Verve Magazine

26 27
 t y r o n e @ t y r o n e m c c a r t h y. c o m

28 29
 FAN
TA
WHO: FANTA

WHERE: Munich, Germany

WHAT: Graffiti/Wall Murals

WHERE: Berlin, Paris, Dublin, Palma de Mallorca, Roma, Milano, Brescia,

Verona, Bergamo, Praha, Izmir and many more.

Crews:
TSM …since 1996
BDM …1997-2007
WCDIB …since 2004

Liveact on Jams:
- Christmas Jam [Muenchen/Germany] 2000
- Summer Jam [Muenchen/Germany] 2001
- HipHop Reality Jam [Biehl/Swizerland] 2001
- Spring Jam München [Muenchen/Germany] 2001
- HipHop Jam München [Muenchen/Germany] 2002
- Out to Burn Jam [Dublin/Ireland] 2003
- Chilling Prague Jam [Prague/Czech Republic] 2004
- Street Art Jam [Muenchen/Germany] 2005
- Premium Pool Arts Jam [Feldkirch/Austria] 2005 masterfanta.com
- 10Years Streetart Munich Jam [Munich/Germany] 2007
- The Block Jam 07 [Munich/Germany] 2007
- HipHop Summit [Ansbach/Germany] 2007 myspace.com/wcdib
- Peacecamp X-Mas Jam [München/Germany] 2007
- HipHop Connection Jam 2008 [Vienna/Austria] 2008 31
21 &
Alxs: In regards to your upcoming
tour schedule, any chance for some
West Coast Canadian dates dur-
ing your USA/Canada run this time
around?
under
Helmuth: Hails to thee! There is
nothing confirmed yet. I only know
that there will be about 33 dates
throughout USA and Canada. We
are still waiting to get specifics on
with ...
the first dates. For me, it’s the best to
play live, you know? We are always
exited; each show is very special for
us and a huge challenge. We did so
many brutal concerts the last decade.
I think that we are a band that live
we definitely destroy and leave dust
and ashes. We give the crowd the
absolute musical massacre and
we’ll shoot our hits into their heads.
Preaching the blast-beat in a live situ-
ation is our mission man, we always
concentrate on the high-speed tracks
(laughs). We cannot wait to play new
tracks of the Bondage Goat Zombie
album over there; it was killer to tour
Canada last year.
Alxs: With the recent success of
Bondage Goat Zombie in respect to
its position on German and Austrian
music charts as well as the positive
reception with metal magazines and
critics, do you feel that this album has
achieved something musically that
perhaps your previous albums have
not?
Helmuth: Things are going infer-
nally man, but hey, I don’t compare
albums. We talk about music, each
time and album we give our best. I
combine every album with a certain
period of life. Hell yeah, Bond-
age Goat Zombie just crushed the
German and Austrian top charts. I
mean its not important to me, I don’t
give a shit you know, cuz charts are
for fashion... trendy assholes. But
it definitely is a breakthrough for
extreme metal in general. A triumph
for the devil and a stigma for moral-
izers… an extra punch in their faces,
especially in Germany were we had
so many troubles with censorship the
last decade.
Alxs: How important is it for Bel-
phegor to experiment with different
dynamics in your songs; be it musi-
cal, lyrical or sample ideas?
Helmuth: To become mightier, more
intense with every opus has always
32
been our aim since the end of 1992.
We all have exercised a lot on our
instruments the last years, to improve
our playing and compositional
abilities, raise intensity and dynam-
ics, to just get better in all musical
aspects. With each album we bring
our sound onto the next level, the
feeling, the production, the songs…
it was amazing to create and record
Bondage Goat Zombie. Our sound
has never been so vital, dark and full
of demonic passion. Anyways, the
most important thing is, that when
you play a Belphegor album/ song,
you immediately recognize that it is
Belphegor.
Alxs: What inspired you to record
a woman actually being flogged and
to use this recording as a sample on
“Der Rutenmarsch”?
Helmuth: Its all about SEX, SATAN
and ART! I really dig that kinda stuff
man. First you have to realize the
word “sadism” comes from Marquis
de Sade’s name. I’m more than im-
pressed since 1995/ 96 by De Sade
as I get my hands on 120 Days of
Sodom, Justine or Juliette etc. I really
recommend these scripts, his work
was a battlefield full of perverted sex,
violence and humiliation, but on the
other hand his writing is pure poetry.
Also his life was very impressive. I
used many of his original verses for
the new album. He was a rebel and
was in jail about 25 years for his art
and ideals and he always refused
to kneel down. Yeah, the flagella-
tion at the end of Der Rutenmarsch
is not fake and we used original
verses from Donatien Marquis De
Sade (1740-1814) and as always,
one very important sentence from
F.W. Nietzsche (1844-1900). Hecate,
a break-core artist from the USA,
recorded and enjoyed the flagellation
by a whipper. She said that she is still
in pain after a week and has bruises
on her whole back. She totally liked it
and wants to repeat it (laughs). It was
a privilege to work with her again.
The last spoken words “...drown me
in your fukk, drown me in your fukk,
drown me” are amazing and blackest
poetry to me. Its supremely authentic
and fits to the whole atmosphere of
the album and the concept of the
infamous De Sade.
Alxs: Are there any possibilities
for incorporating aspects of the S&M
scene into your live performance?
Perhaps hiring performers to engage
in BDSM while you perform?
Helmuth: Yeah, we had some brain-
storming sessions about it, but we all
came to the decision that its better to
concentrate on the music. We aren’t
a show band you know. Let the music
do the talking, its all about the music
man.
Alxs: What’s your reaction to the
book (True Norwegian Black Metal)
that seems to chastise Norwegian
Black Metal bands and fans, and
could there possibly be some sort of
backlash stemming from the atten-
tion the book and genre are receiving
through mainstream media (i.e. CNN
discussing church-burners etc..)
Helmuth: I never heard about it and I
don’t give a shit...
Alxs: Are there any musicians
or artists with whom you could see
yourselves doing future collabora-
tions with? Or at least tour with?
Helmuth: Ed Gein, Marquis De Sade,
Sylvia Saint, Alister Crowley, Taylor
Rain, Leatherface, Mozart, Klaus
Kinski, Chuck Schuldiner....
Alxs: Current endorsements?
Helmuth: Jackson Guitars USA.
Alxs: Next big thing? (Unsigned -
Your recommendation)
Helmuth: You’re asking the wrong
person about that stuff. I don’t care
about trends or the next big thing.
You know, it seems like everyday
there’s a new subgenre of metal. But
while trends come and go, Death and
Black metal are forever, real classic
metal in general. I’ve seen so many
trendy bands come and go the last 16
years, especially the overnight-hype-
sensations (laughs). I dig metal, I
mean - guitar music in general. I see
the extreme metal scene is growing
again worldwide, so its a good time.
Music = Religion!
Alxs: Any last words for the
ABORT readership?
Helmuth: Thanks for the space Alxs,
regards to your readership and all
metal demons worldwide. Check
out our new album Bondage Goat
Zombie.
33
BOOK REVIEW by Grimm Culhane

Judas Priest – Heavy Metal Painkillers

An Illustrated History
By Martin Popoff
ECW Press

Martin Popoff, Canada’s (if not “The World’s”) premier

heavy metal chronicler returns with yet another tome of
doom, his twentieth in fact. Fuck me! When does this
guy have time to sleep? This time around Judas Priest
goes under the microscope with absolutely brilliant
results.

“Judas Priest – Heavy Metal Painkillers – An Illustrated History” is an unprecedented 380

pages of the history, the challenges, the grit and the grandeur of one of the most important
metal bands of our time. Martin has definitely covered all bases with this beauty because
even those of you who can’t read are gonna get something out of this sucker! Loaded with
page after page of photos, ancient ticket stubs, magazine covers, newspaper clippings,
gig shirts, posters and countless other sorts of memorabilia, this is THE definitive history
of Judas Priest.

Since their rudimentary beginnings in 1969 and right up to today, Judas Priest has been a
going concern. From their earliest days in Birmingham, England, Martin brings to life what
it took to make one of heavy metal’s most enduring bands last as long as they have. The
millions of sold albums, the international legions of screaming fans, the studded leather
fashion… ah the fashion. Perhaps that’s it! Perhaps all the metal studded, leather apparel
Judas Priest made into a “fuck you if you don’t like it” fashion statement is actually a way
of prolonging life?

Trend setters, controversial figures (remember the two suicidal boneheads who’s families
blamed their deaths on “supposed” subliminal messages found on Judas Priest albums?)
and the bearers of truths some are unable to handle; now in 2007 its safe to say Judas
Priest remains hell bent not only for leather, but for the annuls of heavy metal Godhood.

“Judas Priest – Heavy Metal Painkillers – An Illustrated History” is easily amongst Martin’s
best work and I could go on and on about it, but I won’t. I’ll let you discover it for yourself.
In the mean time I’m gonna put on my studded wrist protectors, my motorcycle boots, my
black leather jacket and my black leather officers cap and I’m gonna live forever!

34 Photo by Christina Thiele

to the point with ...
Bay Area Thrash Legends Exodus have bounced back to sit upon the throne they so richly deserve
since their ground breaking debut album – Bonded By Blood.
Fresh off a world tour to support the latest Nuclear Blast release, The Atrocity Exhibition: Exhibit A, ABORT’s
Toronto correspondent Jimmy Lynch, checks in with Exodus Co –founder , Gary Holt.
1. Gary, first of all congrats on the smokin’ new
album- You’ve always played by your own rules,
refusing to follow trends, and ignoring the
Commercialization of metal...unlike others. How
are you able to maintain such a staunch non-
conformist attitude despite overwhelming odds
against you?
Why fight the odds anyway? You are much bet-
ter off staying true to yourself because it’s you
who you have to answer to, no one else. If we
tried to jump on some bandwagon we’d be cru-
cified for it. I have to be able to look at myself in
the mirror and not feel like I’ve let myself down.
2. You just completed an exhausting tour,
with your current line up, was it
just as much fun this time around, or more of a
pay the bills type thing?
Well, that was actually last December, so we’ve
been home and off the road for a while. But
we would never do this shit if it wasn’t fun, and
sometimes it barely pays the bills anyway. And
our level of fun is pretty much off the charts.
3. Do you have any remorse
for all the chaotic violence
you’ve created from
doing live shows? Speaking
of which, any problems dur-
ing your recent stop in South
America ? Were they “Too
Receptive”?
Remorse? Don’t know the
meaning of the word! Fuck
36
that, it’s what I live to see. And some of the fans
in a couple of cities in South America apparently
like to rip each others hair out, judging from the
hundreds of chunks littering the floor in Chile
and Columbia.
4. .How do you feel about rappers like Necro,
writing about Exodus, Venom, and bands like
that, for his Rap tribute to the infamous Com-
bat Tour Back in the 80’s?
It’s cool with me for sure. I haven’t heard it
myself, but if he wants to rap about it, go for it.
At least he was there, where as some people
might talk shit about him but weren’t around
themselves.
.5. You guys have always been a killer live act,
it’s obviously something
that you take pride in. How do you still have the
energy to get it done?
The crowd. The more insane they get, the
more we get. But I do have to take better care
of myself now. I work out every day to get my
cardio going.
6. Can we cross our fingers for a “Nuclear Bay
Area Blast:” Tour with you guys and Testament
and Death Angel – That kind of thing?
You never know!
.7. . I caught your gig in Toronto in ‘93 with DRI
and Body Count, outstanding
set! On your solos, you looked like you were
possessed. Are you still? In addition, do you
miss those days?
I am possessed! By who, I don’t know. But while
those days were a blast, the most fun is to be
had now.
8. Rob Dukes was featured in our latest issue
how’s he differ from prior Exodus vocalists
He manages to capture the best of our sound
on the old stuff, and also bring us into a whole
new level of brutality with the new. And on
stage, there is no one like him in metal, in my
opinion.
9. The Bay Area has been a breeding ground of
great music for some time
now. What is up with that? Is there something in
the water, air, the weather?
Have you ever had to throw a crazed fan back
in the mosh pit? and I don’t mean this in a
funny way, but where it became a serious stage
hazard?
Hahaha! I have thrown MANY people back in
the crowd, and still do quite often! And yes, it’s
something in the water.
.10. Any chance of Exodus playing in Vancouver
or Toronto any time soon?
I don’t know about this next tour, but I’m sure in
the future we will make it back.
Thanks for your time Gary
By Jimmy Lynch

W ith the ever-growing popularity
and acceptance of body art in all
of its forms, today we’re seeing more
and more individuals grasping for a
chance to get into the piercing & tat-
tooing industry. This industry has been
receiving an ever-growing amount of
media attention as of late, with reality
television shows featuring various tat-
tooing studios glamorizing the creative
eAxpression their art entails. We’re
finding now that visible body art is
not only found on rock stars and our
favourite bands, but even mainstream
celebrities and movie stars are proudly
sporting their tattoos and piercings
before the public eye. These days
we’re closer than ever to everyone and
their mother having a tattoo or a pierc-
ing without criticism. Even white collar
jobs are becoming more open to body
art. Really, what’s not to love about
this industry? It’s got loads of sex ap-
peal, and tattoo artists are becoming
celebrities on TV.
What many people don’t realize is that
the majority of artists in the industry
live financially comfortable at best.
Most do it for the love of the art, not
to get rich. It seems that many people
don’t take this into consideration when
attempting to get their foot in the
door. This should be considered by
all future-body-artists-to-be. It should
also be realized that if the right ap-
proach isn’t taken when entering the
industry, a new artist can be a very
detrimental force on the industry as
a whole. One can take the right path
and set a good example or one can
take the wrong path and lead many
more behind them.
background art by Peter Goode
the cutting edge
Some spend count-
less hours hanging
around in studios,
soaking up as much
information as they
possibly can and
wait patiently for
someone to throw
them a bone. Some
score counter jobs
for no pay. Some
push retail prod-
ucts in-shop to
bring in money.
Some seek out artists or studios that
will take cash for “training”, to give
them a quick start in the industry and
a piece of paper to put on the wall.
Some travel and put out cash to take
seminars with one of an assortment
of larger organizations to again, give
them a piece of paper to put on the
wall. Some even order piercing and/or
tattoo kits from tattoo magazines and
hack away at their friends at home.
There are many reasons why these
people are looking the wrong direction
for their entry into tattooing or piercing
fields. I’m going to take this opportu-
nity to first explain how this industry
has changed in the last decade or so
and how an aspiring artist can follow
the optimal path forward if they have
the drive to do so.
Let me touch base on a few aspects
of the industry that need to be rec-
ognized. In the last 10-15 years this
industry has become over-saturated
with shops opening with minimal stan-
dards, minimal experience and minimal
ethics in practice. Being the art-orient-
ed industry that this is, governments
don’t tend to carry much involvement
in it’s regulations or educating new art-
ists. There’s also a lack of knowledge
in the general public about the indus-
try, which makes it difficult for people
to know where to go and where not
to go. When you find a studio that
will offer tattoos for $20 per hour
and piercings with jewelry included
for the same price, there is more
than likely to be corners cut in qual-
ity and safety. Lastly, the federal and
provincial health authorities’ mini-
mal standards and guidelines allow
studios to operate under conditions
that were acceptable 20 years ago.
These points show that serious
caution should be taken when looking
for a studio to work in OR an artist to
do your work.
Many less reputable shops that use
cheap equipment and cut corners in
order to keep prices extremely low
will come and go, but should always
be watched. These shops hurt the
industry in a big way by supporting
sweat shops and outsourcing low
quality studio supplies. Not to mention
doing inexperienced and sometimes
even dangerous work. This also draws
uneducated clients away from repu-
table shops with cheap prices and
then leaves a terrible impression of
how the industry works. A solid artist
with strong ethics will always strive to
have you leave their studio educated
enough to protect yourself from un-
ethical and dangerous artists.
So, let’s get back to brass tax, shall
we? “What’s the best way to get into
this industry”, you ask? First off, go
take your first-aid and CPR training
at a level 2. You’ll be ahead of a lot of
already employed artists out there in
that regard. Next, take some infectious
diseases and bloodborne pathogens
training. This can be done through a
hospital or health department. Next,
show some initiative and attend a
seminar with the Association of Pro-
fessional Piercers (www.safepiercing.
org) or the Alliance of Professional Tat-
tooists (www.safe-tattoos.com). These
organizations have been put in place
to stay up-to-date on all aspects of
the industry from everything involving
the arts themselves right up to anthro-
pology and
legislature.
Get a slice of Russ at www.russfoxx.com
 g :
rin
at u
fe

brought to you by
www.thefalltattooing.com

42 43
45
47
48 49
50 51
53
55
 g g a l l e r y
s h o o t i n

left spine down

my life with the
thrill kill kult &
56 noize tribe zero photos by jordana hovis 57
 l v
i re
t
in gh ighte
d a y p l
o n a m
m he L
ta t

photos by chris webber

buck 65 & cadence weapon 59
photos by grimm culhane

M.O.P.
the clicks and photos by ajaini charles
 the birthday massacre

cradle to grave

photos by jordana meilleur 63

 gigantour 2008

mad professor

nim vi nd

64 photos by jordana meilleur 65

 nofx tiger army

without mercy

photos by jordana meilleur 67

69
70 71
72 73
75
 CD
w s
ie
r e v
Desaster
666 - Satan’s Soldiers Syndicate
Metal Blade Records
Gnarled grandfathers of black metal Desaster are back on the
throne with their latest release on Metal Blade.
This sixth album marks the band’s 19th anniversary of classic
destruction and over the years their style hasn’t diverged much
from the sound that made them famous. The current line up
is the result of numerous changes over the years and now
includes Sataniac, Tormentor, Odin, and the last remaining
original member, Infernal. Regardless of the newer members,
their style is the same– driven, intense, classic BM.
The feel of the album is a little bit slower than some of their
earlier work and Sataniac’s vocals are distinctly understand-
able. These may be nods to the bands roots, meant to assert
their place in the traditions of metal and help them stand out
from the speed metal and death metal that came after them.
Nonetheless, they still rip it up in alliteration-loving tunes like
Razor Ritual and Fate Forever Flesh and bring the slow grinds
in songs like Tyrannizer.
When music moves as fast as metal sometimes a particular
style doesn’t get the full attention it deserves; with this album,
Desaster shows that their particular brand of BM is not only
relevant, but can compete with contemporary trends and still
has a lot of new ground to cover.
By Justin K. Hughes
76
Del the Funky
Homosapien
Eleventh Hour
Definitive Jux
While most Rap these days is based on fabrication,
Del’s new disc Eleventh Hour emphasizes on truth and
honesty. Laid back with his classic Oakland twang, he
kills it over his own futuristic funk sounding beats. Most
of the album is spent bouncing back and forth effort-
lessly between dissing bimbo’s and ripping wack mc’s
to shreds.
What makes this album particularly different from his
others might be the aggression or resentment in his
voice. You can tell he’s been going through some shit,
maybe a bad break up?
Whatever it was, it fueled the lyrics and beats to one of
the best discs he’s released. He’s got a certain way of
calling people out or talking on a deep issue, while still
making your head nod. Who else performs songs diss-
ing club chicks while making the whole club dance?
Using rhyme patterns and flows nobody’s thought
of using before, Del once again has proved he’s still
evolving and always has something new to bring to the
table. I think most people other than his ex-girlfriends
will be feeling this one.
By Dave Nelson
Death Angel
Killing Season
Nuclear Blast Records
I had to step out of my regular role as Hip Hop editor when I
saw this one come in. This takes me way back to ‘89, playing
covers of “I’m Bored” and “Mistress of Pain” in a basement in
Northern Ontario.
Almost all-original line-up too, with Mark Osegueda’s still pierc-
ing shriek nailing the high notes. Genius drummer Andy Galeon
(who was 14 when The Ultra-Violence was released) kicking
a more groove oriented “thrash n roll” (their word) style with
Dennis Pepa’s still funky and even fatter bass tone rumbling
steadily along.
Their newest “thrasterpiece” (again, their word), Killing Season
is about “truth and freedom…pain and suffering” - yeah, yeah,
as long as there’s no power ballads like “Room With a View”
from Act III. Judging from the accompanying promo shot, Death
Angel are now (if they haven’t always been) seriously blunted.
This has resulted in a more stoner rock/thrash hybrid sound,
like a stripped down Ultra Violence with less riffs per song and
more serious subject matter.
“Lord of Hate” kicks it off with some classic 80’s era thrash
and Osegueda’s voice slicing through the mix. Things get all
Cro-Mag style hardcore on “Sonic Beatdown.” “Dethroned”
starts off with the eerie chorus guitars and kicks into socially
righteous thrash. Closing track “Resurrection Machine” is the
only instrumental and it seems Death Angel’s introspective mo-
ments are now more about dark atmosphere than the sensitive
acoustic ballads on Act III, or the soul baring testimonies of
Walk in the Park.
I’m fucking stoked knowing these guys are still at it and have
honed their sound through years of experimentation into some-
thing uniquely Old School, yet progressive and ever changing. I
haven’t even kept up with metal since the 90’s, mainly because
nothing has really caught my ear since then. Death Angel’s lat-
est re-establishes their importance in the Metal hierarchy, from
back when it was Metallica, Slayer and a bunch of skinny teen-
age cousins from the Bay Area who created Thrash Metal.
By Dave “Corvid” McCallum
Emotionz
East Van Mixtape
FreshCoast
The latest mixtape CD from Freshcoast veteran Emotionz
displays his wide range of styles and skills over beats by Moves
and other solid EastVan producers like Obese Chief, Sichuan,
and others. The years of repping East Van here and worldwide
have honed his flow into a versatile voice for the hustling under-
belly of a city that too often tries to conceal its criminal origins.
The opener “Skytrain” nails the setting right off - everyone
knows the sound of those bells, and I’ve constructed this beat
in my head before as the doors open on Granville - “If you livin’
in my city then I know that you heard…” This flows right into
the line - “EastVan motherfucker it stays hard” on “So many
Battles In Life,” where Emotionz spits on the ever present
conflicts of life, on and off the mic, and his eager willingness to
face them head on.
Guest MC Clockwork hits some soulful uplifting shit on “Hard
Times,” and Emotionz follows with his own reflective, soul
sample based tracks. Chance, ft. DeeOne kicks some double
time crunk type shit to get the party bumpin again, and Onesix
drops the stellar “Keep It Street” - a reflective rap on hard times
and struggle with a killer hook. “Struggle and Rain” follows - a
heavy anthem for wet winter days.
“E+J” features Manik and Zes on some alcoholic party pimpin
rap, and Manik drops the street hustler flow on Y’all Don’t
Know. Emotionz ends it with “The Realest Shit That I could
Rap” over a cinematic King Geedorah beat with the parting
message that “Violence Kills” and a flow reminiscent of Talib
Kweli in cadence and content.
Overall, a solid effort with a good mix of party bangers and
introspective flows over a range of styles and beats, the East-
Van Mixtape is a forceful statement of this place and time - the
realness of the street life and the rewards of steady hustling, all
saturated with the sounds and flavours of Rain City. FreshCoast
has always had the uniquely Vancouver sound, and it’s good
to hear that it’s steadily evolving, grinding, and sharpening the
skills.
By Dave “Corvid” McCallum
77
 DeVotchKa
A Mad & Faithful Telling
ANTI Records
With the surge in popularity of Gypsy Punk and its conquer-
ing of dance floors across the globe, its not surprising to find
ANTI- Records picking up the bouzouki and running with it. By
signing Denver based band DeVotchKa, ANTI- Records has
now given almost every genre a go, filling out its roster nicely
in the process. Alongside label mates such as Neko Case,
Man Man and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds (not to mention
Tom Waits, Bob Mould and fucking Merle Haggard even!),
DeVotchKa has found a home for their cultured cabaret and
are moving in.
Previously nominated for a Grammy along with composer My-
chael Danna for their work on the Little Miss Sunshine score,
DeVotchKa returns with their new album, A Mad and Faithful
Telling. Sporting more instruments than one person can pro-
nounce, including theremin, guitar, bouzouki, piano, trumpet,
violin, accordion, sousaphone, double bass, drums and piano,
A Mad & Faithful Telling is some of the sweetest sorrow yet put
to music.
As diverse as the label they call home, not all of A Mad &
Faithful Telling is strictly Gypsy Punk. The tracks Basso Pro-
fundo and Comrade Z are, to the degree of say Gogol Bordello
or Zydepunks, but most of these songs are just as much at
home in a sun lit café as they would be in a dark smoky club.
For a band like DeVotchKa though, that’s just getting started.
“Head Honcho” plays out like a Mexican cantina anthem while
“Along the Way” conjures up the ghost of Marty Robbins
himself. Then there’s the French café flavour of “Strizzalo,”
(although what a French café actually tastes like I can’t say)
and the mournful strains of “Undone,” this album has it all in
its own darkly brilliant way.
Distinct, diverse, divine, with A Mad and Faithful Telling
DeVotchKa’s not only moving in, they’re gonna conquer the
world.
By Grimm Culhane
CD
78
reviews
Red Ants
Omega Point
Urbnet
I knew from the cover that I was gonna love this one, and I
took it along with me to Toronto just to help me pre-adjust
mentally - I mean it has a picture of the CN tower snapped in
fucking half on the cover!
Very dusty, dirty, Def Jux influenced production by Vincent
Price (best name ever!) with that extra grit that comes from
winters spent in the Great Frozen North all paranoid on Jamai-
can ‘Cess. As one half of the original duo of Modulok and the
now incarcerated Predaking, Modulok holds it down with a
tortured, blunted flow full of the visceral nihilistic imagery of a
pre-apocalyptic wasteland.
A little slow in the intro, but that just gives one time to twist
one, as VP’s scratchy digital soundscapes scrape the ear-
drums into a cold trance. When Modulok drops his first lines
over the ghostly beat of “Amplification,” it’s MC devouring,
tortured soul time all over again.
“A Kind of Grim” is a polished anthem for self-loathing angst
and the best candidate on the album for an anti-radio hit.
Best of all is “Versus,” a profound meditation on the great-
ness of pleasure, pain, love and… well, nothing, that is worth
listening to twice in quick succession just to really catch the
meaning. “Psychic Dictatorship” and “Keep Your Satellites out
of my Brain” rail at the all pervading mind control pollution of
our electronic masters (and we aren’t talking science fiction
bullshit either)!
Decidedly uncharacteristic of Canadian styles or trends, Red
Ants are a harbinger of new sounds on the horizon, produced
by artists whose eyes and ears seem to be focused on the
realities of our great and fucked up nation, not on an appropri-
ated image of Hip Hop. The skyline of a bombed out T-dot with
vegetation overgrowing the bones and ruins is a fairly succinct
statement of the outlook of Red Ants. Omega Point is a place
and time, here and now, end and beginning… and the weak
are definitely eaten!
By Dave “Corvid” McCallum
Eternal Lord
Blessed be this
Nightmare
Golf Records / Ferret Music
Kicking off strong, songs like “Hot To Trot” and “Get To Fuck”
represent deathcore at its finest. They play on all sorts of
contrast in the opening numbers, juxtaposing blastbeats with
heavy breakdowns, high pitched screaming with growling
and straightforward one-note rhythmic patterns with complex
guitar harmonies.
Just in case the listener is getting too comfortable though,
there are ominous shadows of the lameness lurking around
every corner. Every now and then a breakdown will settle into
cymbal ripples and soft guitar melodies before cranking back
into the good stuff.
As the album moves along, the songs slow down and all but
leave the death metal influences behind. Blastbeats disappear
early in the album and beats on the faster side become less
and less frequent. Growling all but dries up in favour of vocal
styles reminiscent of screamo, they take the genre-mixing way
too far with (what seems to be inspired by James Taylor) Amity,
forsaking vox and decent drum work entirely in favour of a
slow, self-indulgent guitar duet.
That is the low point of the album, though, and things get
mildly, if only mildly, better for the last three tunes. The style
never quite picks up to where it was though.
In short, pick up this album if you don’t mind a little harmonic
in your deathcore; even if you do mind, the first couple of
songs still kill and are worth checking out on their own.
By Justin K. Hughes
Various Artists
Fallin’ off the Reel II
Truth & Soul
Truth & Soul Records presents this righteous collection of NYC
funk, chronicling every T&S 45 single released since 2006 in
chronological order. This is material so classic that it’s hard to
tell it’s so recent, hearkening back as it does to an age when
“people like Otis Redding… left microphones rusting with
sweat and tears.”
Bronx River Parkway begin the disc with “La Valla,” a Hip Hop
flavoured Latin style tune (or vice versa), which flows right into
Nora Se Va, some sweet and sultry salsa for the ladies. Funky
Music Machine follows up with some 70’s freak funk that
just smells of polyester suits, afros and sweat, while the lead
vocalist tears himself to shreds over his angelic backup girls.
Black Velvet brings it right down with some sweet sentimental
soul on “Is it Me You Really Love?” and funks it up for “An
Earthquake’s Coming.”
El Michels Affair brings us back to the present with some mel-
low urban vibes and a dope collab with Raekwon the Chef on
“P.J.’s,” a hypnotic narrative of hustler living, over live Hip Hop
reminiscent of DJ Premier or The Roots. Lee Fields is fucking
sublime on “My World” and “Love Comes and Goes,” proof
that real Soul music is alive in it’s original form in an unbroken
tradition passed down from the masters.
Timothy McNealy drops the conscious vibes on a funked out
“What’s Going On”? and The Fabulous Three take us out on
the unreleased bonus track “Odyssey Revised,” a tight drum
and bass groove with some dope horn arrangements over top.
Very cool, soulful and fulfilling, Fallin’ Off the Reels II is the
perfect comedown album after a night of hard partying, good
for company and a sweet organic antidote to an overdose of
modern electronic stress. It’s nice to know that these styles are
intact in an honest form, and don’t sound derivative or played,
just Truth & Soul for a cold world, full of love and longing and
pain and beauty. This will definitely be on my playslist for
weeks to come.
By Dave “Corvid” McCallum
79
 Meshuggah
ObZen
Nuclear Blast
The March of the year of eight and two thousand has birthed
a rarity in modern aural craft. For those who seek enlighten-
ment through music, close your eyes, soften your breath, and
encounter obZen. Calculate not this work of mesmerism! For
few sages of great merit can translate its complexity. Rather,
one should take this piece in like they would a breath, without
conscious reasoning, like it is a complex but unnoticed func-
tion of one’s own body, and absorb it without focal stress.
Meshuggah have taken technicality and severity and used
them to scrape a multitude of scattered frequencies together
into abstract beauty. The lungs of this work often collapse
into peaceful melodic lulls. As the need for oxygen inevitably
returns, panic inducing diatribes proclaim with dueling whips
of eight tails that the lungs will most certainly fill again. As the
violent breath rushes in and the molecules absorb into the lung
tissue, we witness the reclamation of life through the strength
and evolution intrinsic to the music that is Meshuggah.
A fluctuation of rage and recluse, obZen is a score for an epic
journey to enlightenment. It offers us pieces of music that
break down the human psyche, breakdowns that rush like the
ocean. Water is a vast vessel of life that adapts to its surround-
ings just as one must adapt and evolve to life, and to the com-
plex biotic entity that is obZen. With reference to the album
concept, as explained by vocalist Jens Kidman, that mankind
seeks enlightenment in the obscure and the obscene, I have
found that one can likewise find enlightenment in obZen,
should one possess the ability to dissociate oneself from one’s
conscious process. Channel this record into your morning ch’i
for euphoric results.
By .ninjoelspy.
CD
80
reviews
Threat from
Outer Space
Bleed the Dying Elephant
Konseptikon Records
Threat from Outer Space has drawn from a long musical
tradition in creating ‘Bleeding the Dying Elephant,’ balancing
the album somewhere between classic and cliché. The ideas
presented are a little generic, but also universal. This makes
the album a comfortable and catchy collection of watered-
down social criticisms: “9/11 was an inside job”? Fucking
groundbreaking.
The members of Threat From Outer Space are individually and
collectively talented, their music is fun, creative and mean-
ingful. ‘Bleed the Dying Elephant’ is a solid album, good for
both dancing and headphones alike. Classic rock and roll
riffs, malleable horns and drawling vocals are individually very
familiar, but the layered combinations of the sounds keep them
from being boring. The inventive instrumentation brings a rich
sound through classic hand clap beats, dub-style horns and
understated bongos. At the same time, the musical busyness
makes the album a little unfocused and draws away from its
social themes.
The songs are emotive but again there is tension between ex-
istential thought and the egocentric ponderings of an indulgent
emcee. The album’s narrative is delivered in choppy but con-
trolled phrases against subtly powerful instrumentals. Songs
like “We Like to Fight” and “Fix You” are catchy and upbeat,
while “5:40 AM” is slow, ethereal and reflective. There is a kind
of bewildered innocence in the way the vocals are solemnly
presented; shards of images reflect a mind still searching. On
first listen the lyrics are a little simplistic, but now and then
some gems come out: “Don’t be so callous like the bass
player’s fingers” is one particularly enjoyable pun.
Threat From Outer Space has recycled musical styles and
made them their own. While theirs is not a revolutionary new
sound, it is novel nonetheless.
By Amalia Nickel
Nasum
Doombringer
Relapse
Hellbent on destruction, Sweden’s Nasum have brought forth
the demons from hell (and all that other cliche shite) into a
spectacular live album. Problem is, it’s spectacular due to the
simple fact that the tracks clock in at under one minute each.
I mean it.
“We’re gonna take you back,” boasts the lead vocalist for the
classic track “Mass Hypnosis.” Unfortunately the ‘Doom’ is
brought and clocks in at under 48 seconds. Riddle me this:
how the fuck is one supposed to get hypnotized in just over a
half minute? Impressive! They must be the “Karnacks of Grind-
core.” These guys have to get on Leno pronto! To the point,
short and sweet and completely indecipherable.
Recorded live in Japan, the whole album transpires in under 25
minutes – I’ll assume the Super Terrific Happy Nasum Limited
Edition Extra Special Box set (8 CD’s) should round out at a
full hour.
I’d rather listen to the soundtrack from ‘Meatballs 4’ while
shopping at Ikea. I’ll stick with the studio tracks if I need
garbled Swede Metal.
By E.S. Day
Witch
Paralyzed
Tee Pee Records
In 2006 Witch’s self titled debut album found its way into my
MP3 player, nestling itself nicely between Wild Cherry and
Wizards of Ooze. Day after day I listened with contented ears
as Witch laid out a thick throwback of 70’s style musical may-
hem. From the opening fuzzed out drone of ‘Seer’ to the last
sustained note of ‘Isadora,’ here was an album of psychedelic
gratification that defied comparison and returned my faith in a
much maligned genre.
Now in 2008 the boys in Witch are at it again with their sopho-
more release ‘Paralyzed.’ Singer/guitarist Kyle Thomas, bassist
Dave Sweetapple, guitarist Kurt Weisman and drummer J
Mascis (yes, that J Mascis) have taken what made their debut
album so exceptional and expanded upon it in every conceiv-
able way. This is an album both hard rock and psychedelic
puritans can really sink their ears into. From the heavier than
fuck rhythm section and nitro charged guitar solos to the soar-
ing vocals and flashback inducing lyrics; ‘Paralyzed’ manages
to leave an even larger dent in my primary auditory cortex like
a crowbar caressing a Porsche’s front quarter panel. Not an
easy feat considering how many brain cells I have left… or is
that how few?
Heavier, faster and far more expansive than their first album (if
that’s possible!), ‘Paralyzed’ rises from the tar pits of today’s
homogeneous goo called ‘modern music’ and makes its pres-
ence known with a mighty, reverberating roar. The infectious
groove of ‘Gone,’ the guitar laden psych-out of ‘Disappear,’
the slamming beats of ‘Sweet Sue’ and the molten madness of
‘Psychotic Rock,’ (with vocals eerily reminiscent of Alice Donut
frontman Tomas Antona); for a band that doesn’t practice and
rarely plays live I’m thinking I should be smoking what these
guys are smoking!
By Grimm Culhane
81

Without Mercy
Left Spine Down All Else Fails
Unsigned
There’s so much new music being made in Vancouver these days
(metal and otherwise) that its almost impossible to check out a
Fighting For Voltage local gig without coming across some new act you haven’t heard
Synthetic Sounds of before. The sheer number of new bands in the local area is ever
Vancouver’s Left Spine Down turn the right songs up on “Fighting increasing and, like shit piled on a loonie, you really gotta dig to
for Voltage” their latest release through their own imprint - Syn- find the good stuff hidden beneath the surface.
thetic Sounds. Right off the bat this 6 piece unit featuring former Why bother getting shit all over your hands when you need dig no
members of the legendary Front line Assembly and The Black Halos further than All Else Fails, the four song EP released by local purvey-
ors of metal Without Mercy. Alxs, DJ, Dallas and Matt have inserted
have disemboweled the current industrial/electro/goth state of
a strong entry into the local metal landscape with this release.
mind and taken the entrails from its carcass to boil a pot of Mash-
Up stew that puts the latest MSI album to shame. Reminiscent of Pantera, old Metallica and even Cannibal Corpse in
No to mention they have captured the old school vibe of what their delivery and compositions, its hard not to pay attention to this
Ministry wishes they had on their current tour instead of flog- release and its nods to the past.
ging a dead horse. Produced by Chris Peterson who has knobbed “Misery” kicks things off with plenty of energy and tasty riffs. Alxs’
tracks for Front Line Assembly, Decree and Noise Unit – Peterson vocals go to the extremes here, from deep growls to high pitch
has painstakingly honed his craft on this opus and should have his wails and back seamlessly. I mean fuck, this woman can really belt
phone ringing off the hook from the major labels. Kudos to CP. them out! “Isolation,” with it’s Korn (not a compliment) sounding
Without a doubt, these gents have put in enough hard work in the intro, intricate strings and lung busting vocals, reaches out and
studio and churned out a timeless classic. Intense and aurally cor- grabs you like a vice grip grabs your nipple on the elevator ride to
ruptive – it’s borderline power metal persona gives way to straight Hell. (Having been to Hell, I know of what I write).
hardcore industrial and a fresher, more vibrant kick, that oozes a The only objection you may find yourself having listening to this
much needed danceable form of aggression. disc is (like most great EPs) the damn thing is too short. Hopefully
By E.S. Day Without Mercy will release a full length disc soon, making it a bit
easier to find that elusive loonie in the shit pile of local music.
By Grimm “Shit-Sifter” Culhane
Belphegor
Bondage Goat Zombie
Nuclear Blast
Austria’s own Blackened Death Metal slaughterhouse Belphegor
has set the bar high with their seventh studio album Bondage Goat
Zombie. The opening/title track begins with a brief intro followed
by a relentless fury of hypnotizing guitar riffs and endless blast
beats. The chorus, both hilarious and intriguing, is almost impos-
sible not to sing along to. This track is the perfect introduction to
CD
the mesmerizing driving rhythms, epic head-bangable riffs and
demon-invoking sing-alongs that form the framework of Bondage
Goat Zombie.
There are also a few surprises along the way including the melodic
vocals found on “The Sukkubus Lustrate” and the tortured screams
that close the album. Not to mention the brief bass and drum solo
on “Chronicles of Crime.” This stand out track also offers some killer
solos by guitarist Sigurd.
Once again, Belphegor have created the perfect soundtrack by
which to burn churches and engage in dismembered ass fuck-
ings… and how!
By Alxs Ness
82 reviews
Nick Cave and the
Bad Seeds
DIG, LAZARUS, DIG!!
ANTI- Records
Long time fantasy boyfriends of women who cut themselves shav-
ing… on purpose; Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds return with their Man Man
fourteenth studio album entitled DIG, LAZARUS, DIG!! True musical
innovators and one of the few groups to successfully span genres
AND generations (my grandma digs them), Nick and the boys come
from a decidedly less melancholy and more Grinderman garage
like angle in their compositions here, while the vocals and lyrical Rabbit Habits
content remain pure Nick Cave.
Far be it for me to criticize one of the most upbeat albums Nick
ANTI- Records
Cave and the Bad Seeds have ever assembled, so I simply won’t.
Third times a charm for experimental rock artists Man Man as
Instead I’ll mention the diverse and, in some instances, downright
their latest release Rabbit Habits will attest to. With their inaugural
bizarre musical styles they employ here. This may not come as a
releases The Man In a Blue Turban With a Face and Six Demon Bag,
shock and surprise to long time fans, but they use almost as many
Man Man set out to impress audiences with their junkyard-rock
pot and pan sounding percussions, off key (but not off putting)
style compositions. Songs that make you laugh, make you dance
string arrangements and poetic/preaching vocals than their label
and make you think all at the same time. Scooped up by ANTI- Re-
mate Tom Waits, and that’s saying a lot!
cords in late 2007, Man Man are back for more manic-gypsy-jazz
The beauty of this album comes from the imagery you see inside
with a darker, moodier and much more cohesive album. While the
your head as Nick sings about normal, everyday occurrence such
humour and song writing styles remain intact, its the depths they
as living in the branches of trees (title track “DIG, LAZARUS, DIG!!”),
go both musically and thematically that sets Rabbit Habits apart
having the jaw bone of an ass (“Today’s Lesson”), and psychotic
from its predecessors.
episodes on dude ranches (“Albert Goes West”). All in an existential-
ist’s day’s work for Nick and the boys.
Avant-garde artists like Captain Beefheart, Frank Zappa and Tom
Like some strange cross pollination between William S. Burroughs
Waits show their influences on this latest disc, but Man Man stands
and P.J. Harvey, DIG, LAZARUS, DIG!! contains the most low-fi, yet
apart from contemporary acts such as DeVotchKa and Gogol
upbeat oratories on god and death and murder and sex (the usual),
Bordello with their tongue in cheek lyrics, stilted beats and pure
set to industrial noises and the sweetest string sounds and stick
experimentation.
swats you’re likely to hear coming out of Australia.
I could go on and on about this album and the latest, greatest
Accompanying lead singer and pianist Honus Honus are band
direction the band is taking, but I can hear it playing in the back-
members Pow Pow, Critter Crat, Sergei Sogay and Chang Wang,
ground so I’d better go make sure my grandma doesn’t cut herself
who sing and play a wide variety of instruments. When I say wide
shaving… again.
By Grimm Culhane
variety I mean W-I-D-E variety. Squeak toys, chop sticks, cap guns,
pots and pans and fruit all make musical appearances alongside the
usual guitar, bass, drums and keyboards. You name the instrument
and this band probably plays it. I defy you to find an album this year
with a better xylophone solo.
The music on Rabbit Habits is hard to define in terms of genres,
for its crossover music almost to the extreme. “El Azteca” has a
definite Glitch quality to it, with tasty synthesizer melodies woven
in over tech head beats and samples. “Mister Jung Stuffed” takes the
listener on a carnival ride through some subconscious Hell while
“Big Trouble” is a New Orleans style funeral march complete with
zombie wails, a horn section and pleads for death.
Never too somber, never too trite, Man Man have looked deep
inside themselves and struck a fitting balance with Rabbit Habits.
An obvious choice for the ANTI- Records label, I expect Man Man
will enjoy a lengthy and productive relationship there. In the long
run the real winners will continue to be the listeners.
By Grimm “Squeak Toy” Culhane
83

Led Zeppelin
Mothership
Rhino/WMC
Given the ambiguity surrounding an apparent reunion tour and
false festival promises, no true Zeppelin fanatic should be waiting
with bated breath. In the meantime, do what everyone else does,
throw on a Zep record and relax.
Not to condone labels pumping out “McCompilations” at drive-thru
speed, Rhino has managed to put out a classy little package that
almost brings back the comforting feeling that accompanies open-
ing up a gatefold record and reading liner notes whilst the minstrels
strum in the background.
Produced by Jimmy Page (of course), we have a remastered collec-
tion of the standard fare massaged into an adequate track listing
that pries into the latter part of the Zep catalogue. Since I been Lov-
ing You and When The Levee Breaks fit snuggly into the mix. Lest
we forget, disc 2 also has its its highlights including Trampled Under
Foot, but the real gem has to be the DVD.
Kicking off with We’re Gonna Groove from the underrated Coda al-
bum, it features Bonzo at his best. The footage is clear and crisp. The
band eventually burst into flames as did the fated blimp that they
named themselves after and we see the gents in fine form from
beginning to end. You couldn’t have them any one way. The foot-
age supersedes the definition of Supergroup. Detailed liners and
the DVD alone, make this one worth having in the collection aside
the rest of the Atlantic-issued compilations that are still available at
thriving fine retailers….
Remember them?
By E.S. Day
CD
84 reviews
Joose
2nd Round Mixtape
Killawatt Records
“Between us and Babylon it’s going down….” From T-Dot to VanCity,
Joose represents one half of the Plazma Crew (along with Talksick),
and their diverse sound bears the unmistakable stamp of the Dot
and it’s heavy Caribbean influence. Joose bobs and weaves with an
engaging sing-song flow and catchy hooks over Old School funk,
gangsta and dancehall beats, managing to connect jabs to the
Beast’s belly with sharply conscious lyrics delivered in his distinc-
tively hype, gravelly tone.
Talksick’s thick Jamaican slang flavours “The Don’t Like” with hus-
tling intensity, over a beat characteristic of the new hybrid sounds
of the Screwface Capital. “Fashion” is a great display of the chemis-
try of Plazma - tight rhymes with a purpose with Talksick’s Jamaican
slang flow complementing Joose’s EastCoast flavoured rhyme style.
“Education” is a revolutionary ABC that lays out the foundations of
struggle one letter at a time. “VanCity” is an appropriately paranoid
sounding introduction to our fair city, where natural beauty is
eclipsed by human insanity. Fellow Killawat souljah Lamar Ashe
drops the soulful hook on “Testify,” smoothly blending Joose’s politi-
cal economic breakdown with a club friendly beat.
Weighing in at over 20 tracks, with a great sample of the “Dread
vs. Babylon” boxing match providing unity between tracks, Joose’s
2nd Round Mixtape is a diverse and entertaining disc, full of unique
and engaging flows ranging from hardcore to dancehall to club
bangers, with intelligent street level lyricism steadily dissect-
ing the edifice of evil. Samples of commentary provide a serious
discussion of global capitalism and genetic engineering, subjects
usually too elevated for most rappers to deal with. Joose’s political
dialectic is not didactic - he doesn’t preach or even vent his anger
through ranting and raging, he lays out his principles in fluid rhyme,
planting the seeds of mind evolution in heads that might not even
realize it. To rap about the madness of the street life is nothing new,
and Joose drops the hustler flows as good as any, but he takes it to
the next level when he elevates the discussion to speaking on the
real causes of the chaos and oppression - the bankers, politicians
and overseers who profit from suffering.
A welcome addition to our local Hip Hop community, Joose brings
that much needed Toronto flavour to a city still searching for it’s
own sound (and soul). Joose can be seen onstage rocking it with
Red-1 and the Killawatt crew, solo, and guiding the youth through
conscious Hip Hop education at a community center near you!
By Dave “Corvid” McCallum
Fat Ray and Black Milk
The Set Up
Fat Beats Records
Dirty Detroit sounds like it looks on this incredible inaugural release
for Black Milk’s own label Music House. With Milk on the decks and
trading sparkling gutter gems with fellow Motown MC Fat Ray, The
Set Up is a sonic wasteland of blunted hustler flows from the land
of strip bars and weed spots. The integrity of self and soul shines
through the lyrically visceral rhymes and sets the duo apart from
other similarly street focused artists.
Opening track “Flawless” is based on a slamming ’70’s guitar and
organ riff with Milk and Ray spitting hardcore hustler truths in vivid
turns of phrase. “Bad Man” features Guilty Simpson and Scorpion
with a Jamaican Patois “Shotta” style chorus. Epic and stuttery,
the beat recalls D-town virtuoso Jay-Dilla at his gangsta best.
“Take Control” is “that banger that’ll cause more anger,” a hardcore
anthem with a surprising soul vocal on the chorus that leads from
head nodding to head’s up upliftment.
“When it Goes Down” moves into TrueSchool, Stone’s Throw type
production, based on a jazzy Rhodes piano sample that bring the
mood down to indigo. “Get Focus” flows over a digitized video
game sound loop so lush it almost overwhelms the vocal, leaving
me staring hypnotized at neon tracers that weren’t even there. The
closer “Ugly,” built over a ponderous piano loop recalling vintage
Mobb Deep is thick with hard won knowledge and pugilistic rhyme
flow. The “Outro” just leaves one feeling even more ill, like stagger-
ing hungover through early morning fog.
Like stars that shine through a sky thick with pollution and a vista
of urban decay, Black Milk and Fat Ray are like enlightened hustlers
staying true to knowledge of self, spinning tales of awareness,
ambition and authenticity, thick with the experience of humanity’s
brutal side. Street Hip Hop as it should be, rising from the wreckage
and not dragging one’s mind down further into the abyss.
By Dave “Corvid” McCallum
Various
In the Shadow of an Icon:
a Tribute To Tupac
Thug Life Army Records
I must admit, I was not expecting much from this tribute album.
Between the picture of Tupac on the CD cover and the disclaimer
that “this CD contains no music by Tupac Amaru Shakur” things did
not look promising. I was pleasantly surprised.
The vein of truth which saturated Tupac’s short but prolific career
has been carried through in the artists who “grew out of his
shadow.” The album is comprised of 2 discs and nearly thirty artists
who convey raw emotion and lived experience. There is ample
variety; from Ebony Burks’ poignant call to maternity in “Choices”
to Jasiri X and Franchise’s catchy and charming “2 Pacs More,” this
album showcases myriad styles of singing, rhyming, beats and
instrumentation.
Although the production is not fantastic and the quality of the
music is somewhat mediocre, there is an authenticity to the songs.
Tupac’s ability to reflect the experience of the oppressed and
marginalized is part of the reason he was all but canonized as a
street saint; these artists speak from their own realities and moral
dilemmas in a similar way. Violence is not glamorized but dis-
cussed, casually juxtaposed alongside religious allusions. The beats
themselves are catchy although by no means original; the walking
baselines and synthetic melodies are easy to listen to but are not
inspirational.
I would recommend this album as headphone music to listen to
while taking the bus or walking to work. It is saturated with mean-
ing and emotion and is not necessarily appropriate for dancing or
partying.
By Amalia Nickel
85
 Blackstrap Testament

The Birthday Massacre

Steal My Horses and Run
Tee Pee Records
Blonde porno actresses (with short names and large… assets?)
and more cell phones per person than any other country in the
world are not the only things Sweden can brag about these days.
Shooting porn using said cell phones and receiving funds to do so
from Swedish cultural subsidies may deserve bragging rights and
mention somewhere, but maybe not here. The release of Grave-
yard’s self titled debut on Tee Pee Record’s is one example of the
excellent work coming out of the Swedish “music“ scene, and now
Blackstrap’s sophomore disc Steal My Horses and Run (also on Tee
Pee Records) proves to be yet another.
Just as their name suggests, Blackstrap are thick, raw and devoid of
too much sugar. This five piece band hailing from Stockholm man-
ages to cull together all the collective love, heart ache, pain and joy
one band could possible muster and conveys it through their music
without being heavy handed or preachy. The pairing of Jonatan
Westh (vocals and guitar) and Maria Linden (vocals and organ) pro-
duces some of the sweetest harmonies you’re likely to hear on an
album this year, while Patrick Alvarsson (guitars), Filiph Antonsson
(bass) and David Karlsson (drums) give this album a distinct, moody
and eclectic sound.
Songs like “The Bitter, The Sweet” with it’s hooks, atmospheric
keyboards and reflective vocals bring back visions of The Jesus and
Mary Chain, while “City Beat” will beseech one to pull out their Brian
Jonestown Massacre albums to try and figure out which one this
song is actually on. Of course you won’t find it there, but it certainly
fits the mold of psychedelic sweetness just as easily as B.J.M. ever
did, if not better.
Steal My Horses and Run is timeless, haunting and very personal,
the perfect distraction for in between takes of that ménage à trois
scene you are diligently trying to shoot on your cell phone, (airfare
to Sweden to accept your grant money not included).
By Grimm “Large Asset” Culhane
Erykah Badu
The Formation of
Damnation
New Amerykah, Pt. 1: 4th World War
“More action, more excitement, more everything…” as Erykah’s fro
has grown in circumference so has her perspective, and thus begins
the freak funk that inaugurates New Amerykah, a sprawling, spiritu-
ally minded overview of the American soul from the inside out.
“Amerykahn Promise” lays out the premise of the American dream
- everything you want is promised, just keep on the grind. The
Madlib produced “The Healer” lays out the manifesto of Hip Hop -
dedicated to Dilla, Allah, Jehovah, Yahweh, Dios, Maat, and Jah Ras
Tafari - so you know she ain’t frontin on some gangsta bullshit! This
is the voice of the high, high priestess invoking the sacred elements
of a mystical culture, for those who forgot the real African roots.
“The Soldier” is a passionate wake up call to the youth for vigilance
and intelligence in the face of modern chaos.
“The Cell” is an amazing analogy of the relationship between cells,
both DNA and prison, over a bizarre abstract funk beat. “Twinkle”
continues the abstract musings on knowledge of self - “they don’t
know their language, they don’t know their God”. “Master Teacher”
asks the potent question - “what if there were no niggas, only mas-
ter teachers?” with vocals freestyled by Georgia Ann Muldrow. “That
Hump” is vintage Badu, a beautiful sexy slow jam, but this time
about a love affair with drugs. “Telephone” is dedicated (livicated)
to Dilla’s “transitioning” to the next level, imagining Ol’ Dirty calling
him up with directions to heaven. Closing track “Honey” brings back
the freak funk that opened New Amerykah to let us know that we
are “on our own,” but to look out for Part II.
Erykah Badu has alway combined the best elements of Hip Hop,
funk, soul and R+B into something beautiful and original, and
on New Amerykah, Pt. 1: 4th World War the styles are used as the
platform for a deep and meaningful discussion of social ills and
personal struggles, transformed into hypnotic and uplifting sounds.
The Formation of
Damnation
Nuclear Blast
It’s nice to stumble across an album that simply brings back the
days when old school metal (the Bay Area scene in particular)
was exciting enough to stand in the rain outside a record store at
midnight waiting to get a copy of the latest act to have street cred
without the influence of blogs and zines all claiming the throne of
knowing what’s hot. Back then, the release date was the adrenaline
rush, then the cover… then the music.
Of course - those days are ruined. Salvation however, can be found
once in awhile. The latest Testament is a dedicated old school nos-
talgic mind fuck to say the least. With the recent “Nuclear Bay Area
Blast” from the past ( label mates Exodus and Death Angel both
touring to support new releases), it seems Testament’s latest has
arrived in time to signal the re-birth of thrash metal in 2008
An all original line up featuring the “Chuck Billy Club” (no pun) as-
sures the listeners will get their money’s worth, provided they actu-
ally kick it old school by buying the fucking CD for once. If anything
- for the act of tearing off the cellophane and sniffing the fresh ink
off the liner notes. That is what metal was all about.
Standout tracks like “More Than Meets The Eye” and “Killing Season”
will have you donning patch-encrusted denim vests all over again
and tossing lawn furniture through the drywall of Mom’s basement
in Anytown USA.
Welcome home.
By E.S. Day
Looking Glass EP
Metropolis Records
Looking Glass, the latest EP from Canadian retro electro-goths The
Birthday Massacre, is a throwback to the darker side of 80’s synth-
pop with a modern edge. The EP contains the titular single “Looking
Glass” from the band’s third album, Walking With Strangers, four
remixes off the same LP, two brand new tracks and a seemingly
un-ironic cover of former mall-queen Tiffany’s “I Think We’re Alone
Now.”
Though this release is clearly a gift to current fans, it probably isn’t
the best starting point for the uninitiated. Its awkward flow makes
the disc feel like a glorified single, which, to be fair, it pretty much
is. This is especially apparent in an awkward section where two
remixes of the same song (“Red Stars”) are broken up by an ambi-
ent instrumental placed in between them. It isn’t that the remixes
themselves are bad, but those new to the band might be better off
picking up a copy of Walking With Strangers instead.
With that in mind, however, TBM’s Depeche Mode meets Jakalope
sound still shines through in spite of the EP’s stilted pacing. And
while it’s slightly creepy that a faithful Tiffany cover fits the band’s
style so well, their hooky retro-gothpop sound should keep them
from having to perform mall tours for the foreseeable future.
By Calder Fertig

CD
This is soul music for 2008, more about feeling things deeply and
moving through a journey of self-realization than about concrete
thoughts and concepts. Like a modern Nina Simone, Badu takes on
difficult topics from a nurturing female perspective that feels the
slings and arrows of life but is in no way vulnerable to them. Heal-
ing music for damaged times, New Amerykah proves that Badu is
still cutting edge and relevant well into her eleven year career.
By Dave “Corvid” McCallum

86 reviews background image courtesy of www.imageafter.com

87
88 89
90 91
F ILM R EVIEWS Planet B-Boy
Directed by Benson Lee
Elephant Eye Films

Global Metal
Directed by Scot McFadyen and Sam Dunn
Seville Pictures
Directors Scot McFadyen and Sam Dunn, purveyors of all things long-haired, black and
Metal, return to familiar territory first explored in their 2005 documentary Metal, A Head-
banger’s Journey. With their latest effort, Global Metal, the boys take a deeper and much
more refined look at the Metal phenomenon and how it has impacted world culture outside
European and North American borders.
By traveling the globe and seeking out Metalhead’s in unusual places like Mumbai (in India),
Jakarta (in Indonesia) and Iraq (insane!), Global Metal takes the anthropological microscope
a bit closer to the subject and focuses on how Metal has impacted individuals and cultures
worldwide. Scot and Sam seem to have a natural gift for sniffing out tattoos, loud music
and black clothing regardless if they are in Tokyo, Jerusalem or even fucking Beijing!
Starting in Rio de Janeiro, the boys discover (with the help and insight of Max Cavalera of
Sepultura), that with Metal comes freedom. This was no better demonstrated than by The
Scorpions and their first Rock in Rio concert in 1985, shortly after the fall of Brazil’s then
dominant dictatorship.
In Tokyo, where conformity and conservatism breed oppression and dissatisfaction, Metal
gives people the chance to shed the masks of conformity and release their inner demons.
The make-up and stage antics of KISS and their similarity to traditional Kabuki Theatre
couldn’t have hurt Metal’s inundation of Japanese culture either. Its strange to think of
Gene and the boys as harbingers of culture… so lets not.
An entertaining and visually engaging look into the lives and aspirations of some of the finalists in the
“Battle of the Year” - an international breakdancing competition held annually in Braunschweig Ger-
many, Planet B-Boy delves into the personalities and distinctively regional styles that continue to push
the envelope on an art form thirty years in the making.
The film begins by outlining the origins and development of breaking in 1980’s New York, and features
interviews with Ken Swift and Mr. Freeze, among other luminaries. A little too slick and cheesy in the
presentation and graffiti arrow backgrounds, but informative none the less and short enough not to
intrude on the main material.
Lee follows five of the crews - two from Korea, one from Japan, one from France and one from the US
- from their homes, practice spaces and communities all the way to Braunschweig and through this
up close and personal footage we see the intensity of each b-boys desire to win and the circumstanc-
es that fuel it. From France’s Lil’ Kev, whose mother admits to having been initially racist towards his
black crew members, to the Korean teams, who face two years of compulsory military service in the
near future, all of the breakers are charged with the need to succeed beyond their surroundings. With
prize money totaling just $3000 for all of the winners, the motivation is clearly not money, but global
recognition and the chance for a career in performing.
Clearly “B-Boying” is still a very male-dominated art form, with just one female breaker in the whole
movie. While Hip Hop has become a global culture that transcends race, perhaps it doesn’t yet tran-
scend or even balance gender, as there are definitely female crews able to compete on a world scale.
Despite some omissions, and an “American Idol”-esque preoccupation with the b-boys emotional
breakdowns, Planet B-Boy is worth seeing for the thrilling performances and the sense that, in the
end, it wasn’t really about the competition but the meeting of minds and the sharing of styles.
PlanetBBoy.com
By Dave “Corvid” McCallum

In Jakarta, where people’s names are almost as hard to spell as they are to pronounce,
Metal is a form of protest. Similar to Brazil and eastern European countries, Metal fans
there can relate to songs with lyrics of oppression from a third world understanding of what
real oppression is.

The gist of this well made and fascinating film is very simple; Metal
crosses all boundaries and borders, is a voice to express discontent
amongst oppression and allows artistic freedom regardless of the
place or situation. Global Metal is not only an entertaining and well
constructed film, but an important one in a world rushing forward,
hell bent on Globalization.
Global Metal opens in Vancouver Friday, June 20th, 2008.

GlobalMetalFilm.com

By Grimm “Metalhead” Culhane

92 93
94 95

Aceyalone, w/Arabesque and Moka
Only, plus IP and Deezuz
Richards on Richards, Vancouver BC
The show got off to a slow start; IP and Deezuz
are both talented MCs but the crowd seemed to
be anticipating the headliners and the energy didn’t start to build until Arabesque got
on stage and rocked some smooth and lively rhymes. His raspy voice and dance-friendly
beats were an easy combination for a receptive audience and were an enjoyable transi-
tion to the hometown hero Moka Only.
Moka Only’s act was much more pleasant than it had been in Victoria the night before,
at which he’d fondled and talked about his balls to a sickening extent. Moka Only sings
well, rhymes well, and probably at one time had a charismatic stage presence but now
he seems to be relying on former glories to maintain his fan base. With an ego far ex-
ceeding his talent, he flounced around stage proudly displaying his ability to produce
cheesy sci-fi sounds with his Theremin. The Theremin is one the earliest electronic musi-
cal instruments and probably sounds really cool when it’s played well.
Although Moka Only was officially co-headlining the show with Aceyalone, it was obvi-
ous whom the crowd had come for and they were not disappointed. Heavy dancehall
beats, a few classic tracks and one of the smoothest flows ever to come out of Los Ange-
les made for a winding and grinding dance floor. As he rhymed about “bubble kush, cat
piss and purple rain” a cloud of smoke overtook the stage and the tone: everybody felt
pretty good.
It seemed unusual that there were not more tracks performed from the dancehall and
reggae-inspired “Lightning Strikes.” Considering that its Aceyalone’s most recent project
and the first in a series of musical theme albums, it would have been appropriate to per-
form more than three new songs. Nonetheless, there can be little doubt that when that
damn one o clock curfew hit, the crowd left satisfied.
By Amalia Nickel
photo by Chris Webber
96
Take Action Tour 2008
The Phoenix Concert Theater - Toronto, ON
This all-ages show came at the tail end of a
long, brutal winter, so the fans were defi-
nitely looking forward to a night of mosh-
ing and running amok. That they did.
The Take Action Tour 2008 is all about do-
ing something to help others, to give back.
Great cause, great tour. Too bad this was
the only stop in Canada. Every Time I Die al-
most made up for that by proclaiming that
Toronto was their home show. Although hailing from nearby Buffalo N.Y. (a 2 hour drive to Toronto, 1.5 if
you haul ass), they figured it was close enough.
The place was packed from the get-go so the bands had no trouble energizing the people. The Human
Abstract did a good, compact opening set. August Burns Red were tight as hell, their machine-gun
staccato blasts were thoroughly enjoyed by all. Well polished and well received. The Bled took the stage
next, slaughtering the crowd on their first song and wasting no time getting into the swing of things.
They paused for shout-outs to Every Time I Die on several occasions throughout their abbreviated set.
Organized chaos, hardcore style.
Next up, From First to Last took the stage with a slightly different sound and look compared to the
others. Their new track Two as One won over the skeptical crowd with the requisite heaviness that they
craved. The new bass player fit right in with the boys, losing his mind on the final song, exchanging
instruments with the others, thrashing all around, going crazy.
Now for the main event. Every Time I Die made their presence known immediately. The lead-off track
Werewolf was followed quickly by Romeo a Go-Go and Apocalypse. Ass-kicking, finger-licking, raping
and pillaging… this is good. Every Time I Die is one of those bands you can’t help but like. Honest, down
to earth, rip your face off bands like them are far and few between. They even dedicated a song to their
beloved “Trailer Park Boys!” How cool is that?
By the end of the sixth song the Toronto crowd turned lame. After some vocal inspiration (and intimida-
tion), they did a killer version of No Son Of Mine which really lifted everyone’s spirits. By the time they
played Bored Stiff, lead Singer Keith was screaming at everyone to “keep moshing”!! Good advice. The
standout track was I Been Gone. Super polished, super heavy, chunky riffs galore!
For the last two songs of the night, Keith and Jordan (guitarist) asked everyone to to join them on stage,
before blasting into Ebolarama. A sea of crazed fans took over and flooded the stage, and then… it was
done.
By Jimmy Lynch
photo by Jeffrey Chan Tin
97
 Steve Earle w/ Allison Moorer
Vancouver Centre for the Performing Arts
There’s something very special about a wide open stage with
only a single performer and a guitar. For examples of this you
need look no further than performances by Allison Moorer and
her husband, the incomparable ‘hardcore troubadour’ Steve
Earle, last night at the Vancouver Centre for the Performing Arts.
Allison Moorer looked great as she greeted the audience and
launched into her own brand of ‘alternative country’ songs.
Lauded by critics, its no surprise she’s been nominated for both
Grammy and Academy awards. What is a surprise however is the
fact she has won neither nor received more wide spread recogni-
tion. Judging by the crowd’s reaction to her performance, this
may soon change, and deservedly so.
After a short interlude the man himself wandered out on stage
with his harmonica and guitar like it was open mic night at Gab-
by’s Country Cabaret in Langley. He launched into song like a Friday night busker late for work outside
the liquor store. This was Saturday though so it could only have been Steve Earle.
No stranger to accolades himself, his tales of loss, regret and salvation through song. He’s even a TV
star from his recurrent role as Waylon in the now ended series ‘The Wire.’
Pounding the stage with his foot to the beat, Steve played a vast selection of songs from across his
entire career. Songs like My Old Friend the Blues, The Rain Came Down, Billy Austin, Transcendental
Blues and The Galway Girl as well as more recent favourites City of Immigrants, Sparkle and Shine and
Oxycontin Blues from his latest release ‘Washington Square Serenade.’ When he played The Devil’s
Right Hand the place went nuts, people hooted and cheered through almost every song.
A beat dropping DJ joined in half way through his set, providing beats and effects to some of the
songs while Steve played a revolving assortment of instruments including a six-string guitar, banjo,
mandolin and steel guitar. With some of the sweetest finger picking playing I’ve ever seen, Steve
doled out his own Southern Fried Blues in top form.
As the evening progressed Allison joined Steve on stage for a couple of duets, most notably the track
Days Aren’t Long Enough which they wrote together. Theirs is one of those musical pairings of unde-
niable strength, for the harmony of their voices worked together perfectly.
As the evening came to a close it was impressive to note that you don’t need a lot of glitz and flash to
make a show memorable. Just ask anyone in attendance. In the words of Steve Earle himself, “the days
are never long enough” and the same holds true for nights such as this.
LiveNation.com
By Grimm Culhane
photo by Paul Michalowski
98
New York Dolls
The Plaza Club Vancouver
I went out last night and now I’m in love.
No, I don’t mean some filthy, perverted
love, the kind of back-alley love you get
for one night and regret for a lifetime.
Thanks to an amazing set from the one
and only New York Dolls last night at the
Plaza Club, when I say I’m in love you
best believe I’m in love, L-U-V.
David Johansen, Sylvain Sylvain and the
rest of the newly resurrected New York
Dolls brought their pioneering glam/
punk sound to Vancouver for a long
awaited sold out show and I’m sure I wasn’t the only one who fell in love. Dusting off 35 years of musi-
cal memories with tracks like ‘Trash,’ ‘Pills,’ ‘Looking for a Kiss,’ a cover of the Janis Joplin classic ‘Piece of
my Heart,’ plus newer material such as ‘Dance Like a Monkey,’ ‘Fishnets and Cigarettes’ and ‘Rainbow
Store,’ the New York Dolls successfully reminded the crowd why they started playing music in the first
place, for the love.
Johansen was all smiles and hair as the band took the stage. Joined by the other surviving member
Sylvain Sylvain (and his hat… of course), as well as guitarist Steve Conte (taking Johnny Thunders
place), bassist Sami Yaffa (ex-Hanoi Rocks) and drummer Brian Delaney, they ripped into their set like
a fat boy rips into a bag of Oreos. ‘Babylon’ never sounded so good.
The crowd ate it up, and what a feast it was. Everything one would expect from a New York Dolls’ show
was here. The Johansen swagger, Sylvain’s pick flinging prowess and audience participation antics
(holding out his guitar and letting the audience play it), everyone in attendance singing along to
damn near every song, the clothes, the attitude and yes, the love, love, love, L-U-V. They even covered
Johnny Thunders’ signature song ‘You Can’t Put Your Arms Around a Memory’ in a fitting tribute to
one of their own.
For the encore (and to no one’s surprise) they played the chart topping hit (well, MY chart anyway)
‘Personality Crisis,’ during which David flung flowers into the audience as they danced and sang along.
Love is definitely a two way street and we sure go ours.
The second encore was a track from their latest release “One Day It Will Please Us To Remember Even
This” called ‘Gotta Get Away From Tommy.’ It was impressive how their new material fit so well with
their classic songs, proving that its best not to fuck with a good thing.
As the evening wound down Johansen declared, “this is the best Saturday night I’ve had all week” and
you ’d be hard pressed to find anyone in attendance who didn’t agree.
By Grimm Culhane
photo by Jordana Meilleur 99
 Saul Williams
The Plaza Club - Vancouver, BC Mad Professor
Commodore Ballroom -
Perhaps nobody knew what to expect on entering The Plaza that Vancouver BC
night. It was an eclectic mix of head scarves and steel toes, some
people drunk on beer, others on poetry. It happened quickly; all Legendary sound system
of a sudden there were flashing lights, feathers, rumbles of bass selector and dub wizard
and electric slides into the collective consciousness. Saul Williams Mad Professor graced the
is an aggressive performer; he mesmerized the audience and stage (and speakers) of
forced them to listen. His latest album The Inevitable Rise and Lib- the Commodore in fine
eration of Niggy Tardust, has once again recategorized the prog- style last night, with his
rockin’, hip-hoppin’ spoken word poet. Trent Reznor’s production mad Cockney accented
of this album is immediately obvious and Saul’s raw performance Hype Man, Carl Melody
against a drum machine, keyboard and guitar certainly places this on the mic.
album in the realm of Industrial.
“Straight Outta Guy-
Not that the performance was anything but glamorous. Between the bejewelled drum and sample ana” by way of London UK, the Professor, born Neil Fraser, brought the one-drop, lovers rock,
machine, the endless guitar pedals and Saul’s glistening bare body writhing across the stage it dancehall and roots reggae flavors to an entranced audience. The deeper messages of Ras-
was a performance to be enjoyed by all. At times the words gently eased themselves from Saul’s tafarian reasoning and lyricism were foremost in the track selection, with lines like “Zion is
mouth, like his spoken word performance of Coded Language. Other times he spit an aggressive Africa…and Ethiopia is mount Zion!!!“ soaring over the bass heavy mix. When Carl shouted
flow as he sneered at the crowd, a perfect caricature of Bowie’s Stardust creation. His melodic and out “are there any Rastaman in the house tonight?”, there were more than a few voices calling
off-key cover of Sunday Bloody Sunday classified him as a bonafide rock star; never before has a out in response.
mic stand been thrown with more style.
Sporting a fresh fade and teacher glasses, Mad Prof presided over the decks and mic in a
Although Saul’s material, old and new alike, is poetically legendary and musically defiant, Industri- manner befitting his name, all serious and intent. Tweaking knobs and faders, spacing out on
al music is not conducive to internalizing lyrics. It was difficult to hear a lot of the words which Saul echoplex effects, and dubbing out his own voice on hooks, the Prof created a vast ocean of
is so loved for. The mix of ground-shaking beats with alchemical language does not work well in a sound that smothered, transformed, buttered up and warmed the well lubricated crowd of
lively venue. This did not deter any of the fans with whom Williams freely interacted as he crowd- dancing humans, who began to remind me of a school of krill. Seriously, the undersea effect
surfed to Sci-Fi sounds, smiled at the stupid drunk girls and thrashed to guitar solos. of it all on me was pronounced, as the vocalists on record expounded the teachings of Zion
over waves of infinite bass.
One of the things which is so attractive about Saul’s latest album is the charisma with which he
delivers a new combination. He mixes musical and lyrical elements which are almost baffling: to The shout-outs and space echo effects were a little monotonous after the fifth track or so, but
see a hip-hop/rock artist channelling David Bowie while combining any number of lyrical styles to that’s Old School - the hypnotic effect is more important than variety or virtuosity. Mad Profes-
Trent Reznor’s beats is a sight to be had. He pranced about stage with raw sexual power. He called sor’s lion growl keeping everyone in line, the kick drum keeping time, and everything feeling
for an awakening of the subconscious amid laser lights and smoke machines then recited “We are fine. For a minute anyway. I headed off to the Dollhouse after for some paranoid dubstep, in
not afraid of darkness/ We trust that the moon shall guide us” a capella with equal intensity. keeping with my nature. Still, it was the nourishment of Mad Professor’s righteous and revital-
izing dub that carried me through on my walk home.
The call for an encore was resounding. He played four or five more songs, including the very
catchy List of Demands, and then as quickly as he’d entered the stage he exited. The audience was
left with a series of subjective and powerful impressions to sort through, it was truly a show that
needed to be absorbed. By Dave”Corvid” McCallum
photo by Jordana Meilleur
By Amalia Nickel
photo by Amalia Nickel

100 101
 ABORT TV
BLOWING UP THE
SET IN 2008
WWW.ABORT.TV
 NEXT ISSUE

Coming Up In ISSUE 7 of Your ABORT Magazine...

KRS-1 drops some knowledge; we get sludge salad recipes from The Melvins.
Dizzee Rascal Vs. EL-P: Is writing while you’re high a smart move?...the debate begins.
Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion beats around the Eastside Bush for Tales from The
Eastside, Author and Cro-Mag John Joseph checks in, then - Irish rap gods Scary Eire
drop a bomb (so to speak), and from the film “Global Metal” - directors Sam Dunn and
Scot McFadyen keep metal alive ...worldwide.

Also legendary tattoo artist John the Dutchman, and our Artist profile finally hits our
hometown of Vancouver. Plus: Bison gets an AUDIOTOPSY, we piss our pants in public
and let you watch, and for you failing musicians - we unveil our new producers profile:
Behind The Boards, feat. GGGarth Richardson (RATM, RHCP), Ben Kaplan (Atreyu,
Ninjaspy), Gerard Baker (Masta Ace), Diamond D. (everyone). Dave Oglivie (NIN, Ministry),
all this plus our regular features for you clique-y spoiled fucks... and more!

ABORT Magazine ... This Won’t Hurt a Bit

Photo by Sarah Hamilton